Effects of impacted maxillary canines on root resorption of lateral incisors : A cone beam computed tomography study

The aim of this study was to analyze the amount of root resorption of maxillary lateral incisors by relating the position, location, and angulation of the impacted canine using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT).

The study sample consisted of panoramic and CBCT radiographs of 46 patients with a unilateral impacted canine (16 males and 30 females; mean age: 19.53 ± 6.66 and 19.44 ± 5.77 years, respectively). Sector location and canine angulation were measured in panoramics. All tomographs were obtained using CBCT (NewTom 5G, QR, Verona, Italy) and three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions of the maxillary laterals assessed by Mimics 14.01 image analysis software.

Upper lateral incisor volume was smaller on the impacted side (401.95 ± 83.69 mm³) than on the nonimpacted side (433.54 ± 92.6 mm³, P < 0.05). There were no significant differences of lateral root resorption volume when comparing the impacted canines being on the labial or palatal sides (P > 0.05), but impacted canine angulation was significantly steeper on the labial side (70.85°) than on the palatal side (46.09°, P < 0.05). The volume of root resorption of laterals when comparing the various positions of the canine in different sectors or canine angulation in 30^o intervals was not statistically significantly different (P > 0.05).

The impacted canines caused root resorption of lateral incisors. The angulation of the canine was steeper on the labial side than on the palatal side but root resorption of adjacent laterals was not different. There were no statistically significant differences in the amount of root resorption of the laterals when the canine was evaluated according to localization and angulation.