An invisible canine exposure plate

Impacted teeth can cause resorption of adjacent tooth roots, cysts and their position can preclude orthodontic tooth movement. Open exposures for palatally impacted canines usually require the use of a cover plate, which have traditionally been constructed as a modified wire/acrylic removable orthodontic appliance. Thermoformed polyurethane orthodontic retainer material can also be used to produce a vacuum-formed cover plate containing a reservoir for the periodontal dressing material. This has a number of advantages over traditional wire/acrylic cover plates including manufacturing simplicity, no requirement for adjustment of clasps during surgery, significantly reduced cost and improved patient comfort.
This article illustrates the laboratory and clinical steps involved in the manufacture of vacuum-formed cover plates for early healing following exposure of palatally impacted maxillary canines.