Fangs

 

Ever wondered when you were a child how your teeth all of a sudden split at the front? How about teeth that you suddenly grow high up near your eyes? And why specifically do these teeth matter? What makes them behave that way? If you want to know how can braces solve that problem in children and young teens, read some more.

Canines

The Canines, also named "Fangs","Eye teeth", or just Canines (not that beautiful pet of yours), are the teeth that look like daggers at the front of your mouth. They are the teeth that begin to erupt around the age of nine years, sometimes a little earlier, sometimes a little later. They form what we call the corner of the smile, and rightly so, because they occupy the middle, transitional position between the cutters (your front teeth), and the chewers (the back teeth). They are pivotal to getting your smile arc, your facial bones supported, and thus, your age looks. Canines normally erupt, gliding on roots of the neighboring teeth.

The Gaps

Normally, your teeth erupt to become close together, so there shouldn't be any gaps between your teeth. If there are gaps, you know what happens with food - it gets lodged in these gaps. Bad for your teeth. So when the canines start to erupt, the teeth start to fan apart, almost creating big spaces between them. That is because the canines are trying to get into their normal positions, because they are considerably bigger than the front teeth (they do have also the longest of roots in your teeth). 

So when they glide, they push on the aforementioned teeth roots, in a side direction, thus creating the "ugly duckling" appearance most children get harassed about. Sometimes, the spaces to accomodate these daggers are so small, that they get stuck where they originated (near the eyes, hence the term "eye teeth"). They may even not get a chance to erupt and appear if they are sufficiently big, or if the jaw is deficiently small to accomodate. We call this an "impacted" canine

The Solution

The parents are advised to conduct a checkup for their children when their children pass the eight years old mark, so we can check and monitor the presence, the position, and the possibility of eruption of canines. What we do at this critical time, saves the child from undergoing a terrifying experience at school from their peers. X-rays are taken to check the canines, and if needed, a brace is put in place to start correcting the teeth, and make space for the canines to erupt. However, if the canines are not to be seen, usually they are exposed and pulled by braces to their correct position, while starting buried. 

The Rub

As a parent, its advised to visit your dentist and have them check on the teeth count and specially the canines. Often times, the surgery required to expose the teeth can be mitigated by having an early look at the teeth with an X-ray. In their right, the canines roots being the longest, cause them to usually be the teeth stuck at the late childhood.

If you liked our article, be sure to subscribe for more useful insights!