[Advances in risk factors and early imaging assessment of canine impaction]

The canines play an important role in both the esthetics and function of the human body. The maxillary canines has the highest prevalence of impaction in the entire dentition, except for the third molars. Once canine impaction occurs, it can lead to the conditions such as root resorption of adjacent teeth, occlusal function interference and esthetic problems. Moreover, the treatment of canine impaction is time consuming and difficult, and it often requires multi-disciplinary involvement. Therefore, the early diagnosis and treatment of canine impaction is an urgent problem in orthodontic treatment. The etiology of canine impaction is complex and its early development is highly insidious. To assist orthodontists in the early diagnosis and treatment of canine impaction, this review summarizes and discusses the relevant risk factors associated with maxillary and mandibular canine impaction, and the commonly used radiographic assessment methods.