Tag Archives: canine

Surgical exposure of impacted tooth

When a tooth fails to emerge through the gums, it is considered to be an impacted tooth. This commonly occurs in the case of canine teeth.

It is important to treat an impacted tooth in order to prevent the improper eruption of nearby teeth, cyst formation, possible infection or other negative changes in the jaw. Continue reading

Curve of Spee

In Anatomy, the Curve of Spee (called also von Spee’s curve or Spee’s curvature) is defined as the curvature of the mandibular occlusal plane beginning at the tip of the lower cuspid and following the buccal cusps of the posterior teeth, continuing to the terminal molar. According to another definition Curve of Spee is an anatomic curvature of the occlusal alignment of teeth, beginning at the tip of the lower canine, following the buccal cusps of the natural premolars and molars, and continuing to the anterior border of the ramus. Ferdinand Graf von Spee, German embryologist, (1855–1937) was first to describe anatomic relations of human teeth in the sagittal plane. Continue reading

The Effects of an Impacted Canine Tooth

Canine teeth are the sharp, pointy teeth that are located between the incisors and the premolars. An impacted canine means the tooth has only grown partially through the gums and have not yet erupted into the regular position, even after the normal eruption period. The canine tooth is a critical tooth in the dental arch and plays an important role in your “bite”. The canine teeth are very strong biting teeth because they have the longest roots of any human teeth. They are designed to be the first teeth that touch when your jaws close together so they guide the rest of the teeth into the proper bite. It is also important for aesthetic reasons as it is a front tooth, and can be seen during talking or smiling. Continue reading