Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 20, 2026
Measuring Maxillary Posterior Tooth Movement: A Model Assessment using Palatal and Dental Superimposition
Published on: February 23, 2024
Pre-treatment radiographic features predict root resorption of treated impacted maxillary central incisors
Objectives:
To determine independent predictors of root resorption for surgical-orthodontic treatment of impacted maxillary central incisors.
Setting And Sample Population:
The Department of Dentistry at Show Chwan Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan. Eighty patients with unilateral osseous-impacted maxillary central incisors receiving a surgical-orthodontic treatment.
Material And Methods:
This is a retrospective observational study. Root resorption and its predictors were abstracted from patients' charts, pre-treatment cephalometric radiographs, and post-treatment periapical radiographs. Predictors included demographics, treatment duration, crown angle, crown height, crown depth, and root dilacerations.
Results:
The patients' mean age was 9.2 ± 2.3 years (6.4-20.6 years), and 60% were females. Impacted maxillary central incisors had greater root resorption than naturally erupted contralateral incisors (Δ = -2.8 mm, p < 0.001). Independent predictors of root resorption for impacted maxillary central incisors were shown by linear regression analysis to be crown height (β = -0.2, p < 0.01), crown depth (β = -0.3, p = 0.001), treatment duration (β = 0.2, p < 0.01), and root dilacerations (β = 3.1, p = 0.001).
Conclusions:
Impacted maxillary central incisors had greater root resorption during surgical-orthodontic treatment than their naturally erupted contralateral incisors. Predictors of a greater root resorption were highly and deeply impacted incisors, longer treatment, and root dilacerations. These predictors may help to inform patient and family counseling before treatment.
