What is “Super-Eruption” Tooth?

You’ve heard of tooth eruption, but have you ever heard of “super-eruption”?

Eruption is the process where a developing tooth “cuts” through the gums and erupts into the mouth. You can think of it like a little volcanic explosion right where the tooth is positioned. But in this case, there isn’t any lava; there’s just tooth structure rupturing through the soft gingival tissues or “gums.”

Normally, teeth erupt until the anatomical crown—that is, the white area you usually see—is fully exposed in your mouth. Only the root below stays inside the surrounding bone and gum tissues. The neck of the tooth (what dentists call the cementoenamel junction or “CEJ”) stays tucked nicely under the edges of the gums, almost like a little turtleneck sweater. 

And there it stays. Or at least it’s supposed to. 

What Does a Super-Erupted Tooth Look Like?

Super-eruption is basically the opposite of an impacted tooth. With dental impactions, part of the tooth is left stuck under the gums, preventing it from erupting all of the way into the mouth. But with a super-eruption, the tooth is actually coming out of its socket, root and all. 

If you look at an X-ray of a super-erupting tooth, you’ll notice that it appears higher or taller than all of its neighboring teeth. A great way to describe it would be if you were looking at a dozen fence posts side by side, but one of the fence posts isn’t buried as deep as the others. It’s simply popping up out of the ground—or in this case, your gums—making it look taller than the rest. 

Most super-erupted teeth are usually in the back of the mouth. For instance, if you have a lower back molar extracted, the opposing upper back molar (at the very, very back) will be the one to start to super-erupt. 

How Does Tooth Super-Eruption Happen?

In most scenarios, super-eruption happens when teeth lose their biting partner. 

Normally aligned teeth will have a tooth that they bite or “occlude” against. Depending on which tooth it is, it may only have one biting partner, or it might have two, with some slight yet perfectly-normal overlapping.

But if a tooth loses its biting partner, it no longer has any reinforcement to help keep it where it’s supposed to be. As a result, it starts working its way out of the tooth socket, looking for its old friend. 

We tend to worry a lot about teeth shifting out of alignment or leaning over when their neighboring tooth is extracted. But in this case, even the opposing teeth are affected when a tooth is removed or falls out. That’s just one more reason your dentist will always recommend replacing your tooth as early as possible after a dental extraction. 

How to Prevent Super-Eruption in Teeth

The best way to prevent super-erupted teeth is to make sure all of your teeth have a biting partner. If one of your teeth is being removed for whatever reason, talk to your dentist about planning a tooth replacement ASAP. This could be an implant, temporary flipper, bridge, or partial denture. Some people go with a partial or a flipper while they save up for a permanent implant.

The sooner you replace your missing tooth, the less likely you will have an opposing tooth start to super-erupt. The goal is to maintain some type of biting force in that space so that your opposing tooth is never without a partner.

Why Does Super-Eruption Matter?

A super-erupting tooth can cause multiple complications, including:

Aesthetic Concerns: When one tooth erupts much more than its neighbors, it naturally attracts unwanted attention. Even if the tooth is further back in your mouth, it can trigger a chain reaction that alters the alignment of your entire smile. 

Increased Risk of Enamel Wear: Teeth are meant to bite against each other in a certain position. When those teeth move out of alignment or the “occlusion” (biting relationship) changes, it usually leads to rapid and abnormal wear in the tooth enamel. 

TMJ Issues: Super-erupted teeth don’t function the same way as your other teeth and might even get in the way whenever you’re chewing. This can lead to having to chew food on the other side of your mouth or making weird movements with your jaws to break down your food for digestion. Over time, TMJ issues may flare up. 

Misalignment in Other Teeth: Like taking a book off the shelf, any time a tooth is moved, you run the risk of the neighboring teeth shifting out of place. 

Higher Rate of Tooth Decay: Whenever the root of a tooth is exposed, there is a much greater risk of developing cavities. The structure that makes up tooth roots isn’t as strong or cavity resistant as the enamel on the top of the tooth. So, plaque, acids, and sugars will do far more damage to those teeth than the ones that aren’t super-erupting out of place. 

Sensitive Teeth: Exposed tooth roots are known to experience moderate to severe tooth sensitivity. Once again, they aren’t covered by dense enamel, so there’s no added layer to protect the tiny nerve endings all over the tooth. Temperature changes, cold drinks, or even brushing your teeth may hurt. 

Gum Issues: Just like periodontal disease, super-erupted teeth have inadequate gum support around them. Plaque buildup may creep between the tooth and the gums, triggering infection that affects the surrounding bone or next tooth. 

Is There Treatment for Super-Erupted Teeth?

The best treatment for a super-erupted tooth is preventing it from happening altogether by replacing your missing tooth ASAP. Otherwise, dentists may recommend using orthodontic appliances to move the tooth back or extracting it altogether if the super-eruption is too severe. 

If you’re about to have a tooth pulled because of a dental emergency or you think it’s the “cheapest” solution for your situation, remember that it can trigger this not-so-well-known condition that adds additional costs to your future dental needs. While losing a tooth is sometimes inevitable, the best thing to do is preserve it when you can or replace it when you can’t.