Here’s a case of ectopic eruption of the central incisor. This is usually caused by a misdirection of the tooth bud early in childhood. Often the baby teeth are not removed fast enough when they become loose. This forces the permanent teeth to find another pathway of least resistance into the mouth. Our recommendation is for all children to be seen by an orthodontic specialist before age 7 in order to prevent these kind of problems. We were able to bring the tooth into place, but the gum tissue is still slightly higher than the next tooth. The gum tissue will always recede to its adult (21+) position in these cases. Eventually, the gum tissue on the other teeth will follow and even out by his early 20’s.
Before:
After:
