Is your vampire teeth a cosmetic nightmare? Here’s how you can fix it

What are vampire teeth?

These pointed canines are caused by a developmental disorder. These are positioned too high and tend to protrude as the upper jaw is too narrow for the teeth to align properly. The teeth are, therefore, forced to fit in a small arch, causing them to jut out in an awkward position.

What causes them?

The misalignment of teeth may be caused by several reasons. It could be a genetic development disorder where big teeth seem to be force-fitted into smaller jaws. Malocclusion (when your upper and lower teeth don’t align) may also occur if milk teeth do not shed and canines then grow behind them. This is called teeth crowding. Among all teeth, canines have the highest probability of not erupting properly.

Are there patterns of misaligned canines?

There is no fixed pattern of canine placement issues. While some people have one canine tooth highly placed, others may have two, three or even all four overhanging canines. But the highest number of cases usually involve the canines on the right side.

Canine teeth displacement is seen more in the upper jaw. If it is in the lower set of teeth, it means the person has inherited their mother’s jaw size but father’s teeth size. Males have bigger teeth compared to females.

How can one correct vampire teeth?

One way is to remove the teeth behind the canines and fit them in place. If the patient comes to us at a younger age, it is easier to rearrange the teeth because the jaw will keep growing.

We may either remove the pre-molars to make space or move the front teeth (incisors) forward, in which case, tooth extraction may be completely avoidable. We would just need 2-3 mm of space to arrange the canine inside. This is done through expansion of the maxillary arch, or the upper dental arch, which is part of the jawbone that holds the upper teeth.

Another method is to push back the four teeth in the back —- the pre-molars and molars — to make space and fit the canine teeth. The upper dental arch is malleable till 17-18 years of age, so procedures are best done by then. Of course, all this will be done keeping in mind that there is no change in face shape or appearance.

The complete treatment may take anywhere between 1.5 and 2 years. After the procedure, braces are installed and patients would have to be careful about brushing and eating so as not to damage them.