A review of the approaches to treatment of impacted maxillary cuspids

The problem of the unerupted or impacted maxillary cuspid is one with which the dentist must frequently cope. The three generally accepted approaches to the management of this problem are extraction of the tooth, surgical exposure of the crown to allow natural eruption to occur, and surgical exposure of the crown and application of orthodontic traction to bring the tooth into the desired position. Selection of a particular treatment method will depend, of course, on the immediate circumstances surrounding the case at hand.