Apple Valley, St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota – The obvious solution of addressing the problem of a child’s impacted permanent tooth commonly is to pull the baby tooth to make room.
But when it comes to molars, that solution often is not the best option, said Apple Valley Orthodontist Dr. Jennifer Eisenhuth.
Impacted first molars generally become evident by age 6 or 7 because this is when the first molars erupt, said Eisenhuth, who treats patients with this condition at her Eagan and Apple Valley orthodontics practice.
When this occurs, the first molars tend to erupt tipping forward, causing them to catch on the primary molar in front of it, she said.
Although clinically, Eisenhuth finds that the upper first molars are more likely to impact, lower second molars also can become impacted. This less common occurrence is seen in about three out of every 1,000 patients, according to a November 2003 article published in the Journal of the American Dental Association.
It is believed the cause may be due to insufficient skeletal development, namely inadequate arch length, the article stated. Another possible reason for impaction is extra room between the crown of the developing second molar and the roots of the first molar. This condition may allow the growing second molar to tip in its eruption path.
In cases where it is determined that removal of the primary molar is the best option, the space left behind must be maintained until that primary molar is actually due to fall out, typically around age 12. When it’s the second molar in question, removing it too soon could mean that the third molar will erupt into the space where the second molar is supposed to be.
“A better solution often is to try moving back the erupting molar, basically ‘un-wedging’ the tooth from the primary molar,” said the Apple Valley braces expert.
In situation where extraction is ruled out as the best means of correcting the problem, Eisenhuth sometimes inserts a brass separating band or ligature to allow the molar to correct itself. The band is placed around a tooth toward the front and includes an arm that helps move the molar back. If this procedure is successful, the molar no longer is impacted and it will erupt as it should. The primary molar it was wedged against also stays in until it is due to come out on its own.
In cases of severe impaction, an oral surgeon may have to surgically uncover the molar, upright the tooth and reposition it if necessary to prepare it for proper eruption.
Impacted molars can create problems with chewing and can disrupt the stability of the dental arch- not to mention the aesthetic effects it can have on a person’s smile- if left untreated.
“Detecting impacted molars is yet another reason why children should be evaluated by an orthodontist by about age seven, as recommended by the American Association of Orthodontists,” said Eisenhuth, who also is an Apple Valley Invisalign preferred provider. “Identifying these types of issues early on means they can be treated early and often can take someone off of a surgical path.”
Addressing all eruption and impaction issues when children are young also makes future orthodontic treatment easier, she said.
About Dr. Jennifer Eisenhuth
Dr. Eisenhuth attended the University of Minnesota Dental School and graduated in the top of her class. She earned the Minnesota Association of Orthodontic Achievement Award and several academic achievement awards. She entered her orthodontic residency at the University of Minnesota and earned a certificate in orthodontics and a Master of Science degree.
Dr. Eisenhuth is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics. She takes pride in caring for the orthodontic needs of residents in the Twin Cities- St. Paul and Minneapolis, and their surrounding regions, including St. Paul, Inver Grove Heights, Burnsville, Eagan and Eagan, Minnesota. Her office is located at 3340 Sherman Court, Eagan, Minn., 55121.
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If you would like to learn more about impacted molars, or Apple Valley Orthodontist or you wish to schedule a consultation with Dr. Jennifer Eisenhuth, an Apple Valley orthodontics practice, please call: (651) 406-8100 or visit her Web site: http://doctorjennifer.com/.
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