Predictors of treatment decisions made by adult orthodontic patients presenting with unerupted permanent teeth

Unerupted permanent teeth are amongst the most commonly occurring dental anomalies in adults and present unique treatment challenges. The aim of this retrospective study was to (1) identify the prevalence of adult patients with unerupted teeth attending a multidisciplinary clinic and (2) to identify predictors (age, gender, incisor and skeletal classification) which influence the patients treatment decision.

Consecutive adult patients with unerupted permanent teeth attending the Joint Orthodontic-Restorative clinic were identified. Study variables were collected using a prespecified data collection form. Descriptive statistics were employed; Fisher's exact test was used to detect associations between variables and treatment decision outcome. Ordinal logistic regression derived multinomial regression relative risk ratios (RRR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for the effect of age, gender, incisor and skeletal classification on treatment decision/outcome.

Sixty-six patients with impacted teeth were identified from a sample of 483. The prevalence of adults with unerupted teeth was 13.7%. The mean age was 30.7 years (SD 11.2). The majority of the sample had a Class I incisor relationship (54.6%) or Class I skeletal base relationship (54.6%), and the most common distribution of impacted teeth was a single unerupted upper right canine (34.9%). Orthodontic treatment (non-extraction or extraction basis incorporating the alignment or removal of impacted teeth) and restorative treatment only were equally favoured. Factors including age, gender, incisor and skeletal classification did not appear to influence or predict the final treatment decision.

In this sample, adults presenting with impacted teeth favoured certain treatment modalities: orthodontic treatment only and restorative treatment only. Factors such as age, gender, incisor and skeletal classification did not influence the outcome.