Impacted Canines — San Luis Obispo, CA
Helping an impacted canine come in
Our board-certified surgeon is gentle with teens and adolescents, and works in step with your orthodontist.
Overview
What is an impacted canine?
Canines (the pointed “eye teeth”) are second only to wisdom teeth in how often they get stuck, or “impacted.” Impacted canines are unable to come in on their own, usually because there isn’t room or the tooth is angled the wrong way. Because canines matter for both the bite and the look of a smile, the goal is almost always to bring the tooth into place rather than remove it.
That’s done with a small procedure called exposure and bonding: the surgeon uncovers the top of the impacted tooth and attaches a tiny bracket and chain, which the orthodontist then uses to gently guide the tooth into position over the following months. It’s a team effort between the oral surgeon and your child’s orthodontist, and for most teens it’s a straightforward step.
Urgent? Call 805-541-5611
Candidacy & Indications
Am I a Candidate for Impacted Canine Treatment?
Most impacted canines are caught by an orthodontist or dentist on a routine X-ray, often in the early teen years.
Who this is for:
- For families: your orthodontist has flagged a canine that isn’t coming in, and has referred your child to have it exposed so braces can guide it down.
- For referring orthodontists: palatally or labially impacted canines confirmed on imaging, ready for surgical exposure and bonding to begin traction.
Catching it early generally makes treatment simpler. We’ll review the imaging, confirm the position, and coordinate timing with the orthodontist so the exposure happens at the right point in treatment.
Dr. Janette’s Approach
Our approach to impacted canines
Two things matter most here: precision and a calm experience for a young patient. Dr. Adam Janette is a board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon and a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery. Exposure and bonding is a procedure he coordinates closely with referring orthodontists, so the bracket is placed exactly where traction needs to begin. He administers and monitors IV anesthesia so a nervous teen stays comfortable and has a good experience. Parents are walked through every step, because the visit is as much about your peace of mind as your child’s.
Office Technology
The technology we use for impacted canine treatment
3D / panoramic imaging
Pinpoints exactly where the impacted canine sits and how it’s angled.
Why it matters: the exposure is planned precisely, which keeps the procedure small and the neighboring teeth protected.
Orthodontic coordination
The bracket and chain are placed to match the orthodontist’s traction plan.
Why it matters: the surgery and the braces work toward the same movement.
What to Expect
How impacted canine treatment works
Before: consultation
At your consultation, we review your child’s imaging and the orthodontist’s plan and confirm the canine’s position. We’ll explain the exposure in plain terms, including comfort and sedation options, and send you home with a written estimate. Timing is coordinated with the orthodontist so the exposure happens at the right point in treatment. And tell us how anxious your teen is, because it changes how we pace the visit.
During: exposure and bonding
It’s a short outpatient procedure. Your child is numbed and kept comfortable with sedation, monitored throughout by the surgical team. Dr. Janette uncovers the top of the impacted tooth and attaches a small bracket with a chain, then closes the area around it. Nothing about the tooth is forced, because the actual movement happens slowly, later, through the braces. Your child goes home the same day to rest.
After: handing off to the orthodontist
Expect mild soreness and some swelling for a few days, managed with simple measures we’ll go over. Most teens bounce back quickly. After a short healing period, the orthodontist begins gentle traction on the chain to guide the canine into place over the coming months. We’ll stay in contact with their orthodontist.
Case Study
A recent case
Case Study · Impacted Canines
Guiding a stuck canine into place
[PROOF: one de-identified case — impacted canine exposed and successfully guided into place (teen-consent considerations).]
Read the full case study →Recovery & Post-Op
Your first weeks after surgery
- Most teens have only mild soreness and a little swelling for a few days, eased with soft foods and the simple care steps we send home.
- The bracket and chain stay tucked in place for the orthodontist to use later.
- These are general guides. Follow the specific instructions your surgeon gives you.
When to call us
Contact the office for things like bleeding that won’t stop with gentle pressure, swelling that worsens after a few days, fever, or if the bracket or chain comes loose. Call the office with any concern. We’d rather you call than wonder.
Cost & Insurance
Cost of impacted canine treatment
Cost depends on the procedure and sedation, and it’s separate from your child’s orthodontic fees. You’ll take home a written estimate from the consultation. Our office verifies your dental coverage beforehand, and financing is available if you’d like to spread the cost.
Frequently Asked
Questions patients ask us about impacted canines
Usually not. Because canines are so important to the bite and smile, the goal is almost always to bring the tooth into place with exposure and bonding, not to extract it.
Your child is numbed and kept comfortable with sedation, so the procedure itself is easier than most parents expect. There’s mild soreness for a few days afterward, managed with simple measures.
Slowly and gently, through the braces. The surgeon attaches a small bracket and chain; the orthodontist then applies light traction over the following months to guide the canine into position.
Sedation is available and administered and monitored by Dr. Janette, with the team monitoring your child throughout. We’ll discuss the right level of comfort for your teen.
The movement happens over months as part of orthodontic treatment; the surgery is just the first step. Your orthodontist will guide the timeline.
It’s separate from orthodontic fees and depends on the procedure and sedation. The consultation includes a written estimate, with coverage checked ahead of time.
Patient Experiences
In our patients’ words
“Dr. Janette and his whole staff made my daughter’s potentially anxiety-producing dental procedure peaceful.”
“Dr. Janette displays a reassuring confidence but also makes you feel as though you’ve known him for years.”
Ready to talk through your case?
Request a consultation. CBCT imaging, clinical exam, and a written treatment plan with fee quote at your first visit.