Impacted Teeth
Teeth that do not erupt can lead to the formation of a dentigerous cyst that can be very destructive to the bone surrounding the unerupted tooth. Diagnostic imaging is used to evaluate these missing teeth. In young animals, an operculectomy (cutting a window in the soft tissue over the crown) can be performed to allow the tooth to complete eruption. In adult animals, the impacted teeth may form a dentigerous cyst and should be surgically extracted or at least monitored on a regular basis. Dentigerous cysts are generally not painful and may not be visible without diagnostic imaging.