Localization of impacted permanent maxillary canine using single panoramic radiograph

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Oral Radiology
• Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

• Accurate localization of impacted permanent maxillary canines is crucial for treatment planning.
• Conventional radiography methods often involve higher radiation doses and costs.
• Panoramic radiography offers a screening approach with potential for reduced radiation and cost.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the reliability of panoramic radiography in determining the bucco-palatal position of impacted permanent maxillary canines.
• To compare the efficacy of Chaushu et al. criteria on panoramic radiographs with Clark's rule using intra-oral peri-apical radiographs (IOPARs).

Main Methods:

• The study included 114 subjects (13-30 years) with 150 impacted canines.
• Panoramic radiographs and IOPARs were obtained for all subjects.
• Chaushu et al. criteria and Clark's rule were applied to assess canine localization.

Main Results:

• Panoramic radiography successfully localized impacted canines in the middle and coronal zones with 94.11% agreement.
• Localization was not possible for impacted canines in the apical zone due to overlapping.
• The Chaushu et al. criteria showed high reliability for impacted canines in the coronal and middle zones.

Conclusions:

• Panoramic radiography is a reliable tool for localizing impacted maxillary canines in the coronal and middle zones.
• For impacted canines in the apical zone, advanced imaging modalities are recommended.
• Panoramic radiography can be a cost-effective and lower-radiation screening tool for impacted canine localization.