Can an Impacted Canine Tooth Erupt on Its Own?

Canine teeth are an important part of the dental arch and smile line. In some individuals, a permanent canine tooth may fail to erupt into the mouth at the expected time and may remain impacted within the jawbone or gum tissue.

Whether an impacted canine tooth can erupt naturally is not the same in every case. It is not possible to give a definitive answer without evaluating the position of the tooth, its eruption path, the available space in the mouth, and its relationship with neighbouring teeth.

In some impacted canine cases, coordinated treatment between orthodontic and surgical disciplines may be required. One commonly used approach involves surgically exposing the tooth and then guiding it into the appropriate position using orthodontic forces.

For individuals in Bursa with a suspected unerupted or impacted canine tooth, Dr. Dt. Ebru Çetinkaya Tokmak performs an orthodontic assessment to evaluate the current position of the tooth and the orthodontic options that may be available.

What Is an Impacted Canine Tooth?

A permanent tooth that fails to erupt into the mouth during its expected eruption period and remains within bone or soft tissue may generally be described as an impacted tooth.

Canine teeth, particularly the upper canines, are among the permanent teeth that may remain impacted. Orthodontic treatment may be used to help bring certain impacted teeth into a more appropriate position.

Why Does a Canine Tooth Become Impacted?

There may be more than one reason why a canine tooth fails to erupt.

Factors that may be considered during assessment include:

• Insufficient space in the dental arch
• An abnormal eruption direction
• The position of the tooth in relation to neighbouring teeth
• The location of the tooth within the jawbone
• Individual differences in dental development

Accurate clinical assessment and appropriate radiographic examination are important when planning treatment for impacted canine teeth.

Can an Impacted Canine Tooth Erupt Naturally?

In some teeth with eruption problems, natural eruption may continue if the conditions are favourable. However, it would not be accurate to state that a truly impacted canine with an unfavourable eruption path will necessarily erupt on its own.

When making this assessment, the following factors are considered:

• The current position of the tooth
• The direction of eruption
• Whether sufficient space is available in the mouth
• The relationship with neighbouring teeth
• The individual’s stage of dental development

Late identification of impacted or ectopic canine teeth may make treatment more complex. For this reason, assessment is important when an eruption problem is suspected.

Does a Retained Primary Canine Mean That the Permanent Canine Is Impacted?

Not always.

A primary canine remaining in the mouth may be related to different causes. The current position of the permanent tooth cannot be determined solely by looking at the retained primary tooth.

The eruption status and position of the permanent canine can be assessed clinically and, where necessary, with radiographic imaging.

How Is an Impacted Canine Tooth Diagnosed?

The first stage is an intraoral examination.

Failure of the canine to erupt in the expected area, continued retention of the primary canine, or signs that the tooth may be erupting in an abnormal position may indicate the need for further assessment.

Where necessary, radiographic imaging can be used to evaluate:

• The position of the tooth
• The direction of eruption
• The relationship with neighbouring teeth
• The location within the jawbone

Impacted upper canine teeth are among the conditions that require particular attention during orthodontic radiographic assessment.

How Is an Impacted Canine Tooth Treated?

Not every impacted canine tooth is treated in the same way.

The treatment option may vary according to the current position of the tooth and the individual’s overall orthodontic condition.

Possible approaches may include:

• Regular monitoring
• Creating sufficient space for the tooth to erupt
• Orthodontic treatment
• Surgical exposure of the tooth followed by orthodontic traction
• Evaluation of alternative treatment options according to the position of the tooth

British Orthodontic Society patient information notes that fixed orthodontic treatment may be used to bring an impacted canine into an appropriate position and that, in some cases, extraction of other teeth may be necessary to create sufficient space.

What Is Surgical Exposure and Orthodontic Traction?

In some cases of impacted canine teeth, orthodontic and surgical treatment may need to be planned together in order to guide the tooth into the mouth.

In this approach, the relevant surgical specialist gains access to the impacted tooth and, where appropriate, places an orthodontic attachment on the tooth. The orthodontic system is then used to apply controlled forces and guide the tooth towards its planned position.

This process may require coordination between the orthodontist and the surgical team.

Does the Orthodontist Perform the Surgery to Expose the Impacted Canine?

Surgical exposure of an impacted tooth falls within the scope of the relevant surgical specialty.

The orthodontist’s role is to assess the current positions of the teeth and jaws, plan the required space, and manage orthodontic traction of the impacted tooth where appropriate.

For this reason, treatment may be planned using a multidisciplinary approach.

How Long Does Orthodontic Traction of an Impacted Canine Take?

It is not possible to provide a standard treatment duration for every case.

Treatment time may vary according to:

• The position of the impacted tooth
• The distance the tooth needs to travel
• Whether sufficient space is available in the dental arch
• The overall scope of orthodontic treatment
• The biological response of the tooth to treatment

Orthodontically bringing an impacted or ectopic canine into an appropriate position may require a relatively long treatment process in some cases.

Can Every Impacted Canine Be Brought Into the Dental Arch Orthodontically?

No.

Whether an impacted tooth can be brought into the mouth orthodontically depends on its position, direction, relationship with neighbouring structures, and other clinical factors.

In some cases, orthodontic traction may be an appropriate option, while in others different treatment options may need to be considered.

For this reason, general statements such as “every impacted canine must be extracted” or “every impacted tooth can always be brought into the mouth” would not be accurate.

What Happens If an Impacted Canine Tooth Is Not Treated?

Not every impacted tooth carries the same level of risk, and the outcome is not the same in every case.

However, impacted canine teeth may lie close to neighbouring teeth and, in some cases, may pose a risk to the roots of adjacent teeth. Therefore, the need for monitoring or treatment should be determined according to the position of the impacted tooth.

The absence of symptoms does not necessarily mean that an impacted tooth does not require assessment.

Is Earlier Detection of an Impacted Canine Better?

Early identification of canine teeth with an abnormal eruption path may be important when considering treatment options.

Guidance relating to the developing dentition from the British Orthodontic Society notes that treatment may become more difficult when an ectopic canine is identified at a later stage.

For this reason, if a permanent canine is not erupting as expected, it may be appropriate not to delay an orthodontic assessment for an extended period.

Impacted Canine Tooth Assessment in Bursa

For individuals in Bursa whose permanent canine has not erupted or who are suspected of having an impacted tooth, the first stage is to evaluate the current position of the tooth and the overall orthodontic condition.

During the orthodontic assessment performed by Dr. Dt. Ebru Çetinkaya Tokmak, the eruption status of the tooth, the available space in the mouth, and the positions of the other teeth are evaluated together.

Where orthodontic traction of the impacted tooth is considered appropriate, the necessary orthodontic planning can be carried out. If surgical assessment is required, the process may be planned in a multidisciplinary manner together with the relevant surgical specialty.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can an impacted canine tooth erupt on its own?

In some teeth with eruption problems, natural eruption may continue. However, whether a truly impacted canine can erupt on its own depends on the position of the tooth and the available space. A definitive answer cannot be given without an assessment.

Does an impacted canine always need to be extracted?

No. In suitable cases, the canine may be guided into the mouth using orthodontic treatment and, where necessary, surgical exposure. However, not every case is suitable for orthodontic traction.

Can an impacted canine be brought down with braces?

In suitable cases, fixed orthodontic systems may be used to guide an impacted canine towards its planned position. In some cases, the tooth must first be surgically exposed.

Can an impacted canine cause pain?

An impacted tooth does not always cause pain. The absence of symptoms does not mean that the position of the tooth does not need to be evaluated.

Does treatment for an impacted canine take a long time?

Treatment duration depends on the position of the tooth and the overall scope of orthodontic treatment. Some complex impacted canine cases may require a longer treatment period.

Is surgery required for an impacted canine tooth?

Surgery is not required for every impacted canine. However, in some impacted teeth that are planned to be brought into the mouth orthodontically, surgical exposure may form part of the treatment process.

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Content Last Updated: 18 July 2026

This content has been prepared for general informational purposes. Individual diagnosis and treatment planning are determined following clinical, radiographic and, where necessary, multidisciplinary assessment.