Nearly 2% of the population has impacted canine ('eye') teeth in their upper jaw. It means their teeth fail to break through the gums. Even if such a tooth manages to erupt after time, it won’t be able to take a proper position on its own. When left in the jaw, such teeth may eventually damage the ones they’re pressed against and affect the bite.

When this problem occurs in out-of-sight wisdom teeth, removal is often the solution. But canines are highly visible, which is why in most cases an orthodontist will try to preserve them together with a patient’s smile.

If an orthodontic examination shows that an impacted tooth is located in a workable position, a dental specialist puts brackets over all the teeth but for the stuck one. Then an oral surgeon or periodontist surgically exposes that tooth and secures an attachment with a gold chain to it. The gum is further sutured and allowed to heal with a chain emerging from it. In the course of the next few months, the tooth is going to be aligned to the right position by gentle pulling using special orthodontic tools.