Delayed diagnosis of displaced and impacted canines - a prospective longitudinal study

Objectives: To assess the frequency and reasons for delayed diagnoses of displaced/impacted canines and to determine to what extent this causes complications. In addition, to assess whether any preventive measures were taken.Materials and methods: Patients with displaced/impacted canines that were diagnosed late; i.e. at an age ≥12 years, were consecutively collected during September 2015 to September 2018 in the County Region of Halland, Sweden. Additionally, patients who had undergone surgical exposure or extraction of an impacted canine during the same time period were identified.Results: Eighty-four individuals (58% girls, 42% boys, mean age: 13.75 ± 1.53 years) with 114 impacted canines were detected among 33,488 adolescents aged 12-20 years, resulting in a low-frequency rate: 84 cases per 100,000 persons. Eighty-six percent of the delayed canines were in the maxilla, the rest in the mandible. Deciduous canines were present in 80% of the cases. Most patients had a dental examination at 9-11 years of age but the position of the canine was not documented in many cases. Root resorption of adjacent teeth was noticed in 13% of the patients. No new clinical procedures or guidelines were developed.Conclusions: The frequency of delayed diagnoses of displaced/impacted canines was low. To minimize the frequency even more, documentation of the canine position during the dental examination should not be forgotten at ages 9-11. Presence of the deciduous canine can be used as a clinical indicator that the position of the permanent canine needs to be investigated.