Assessment of impacted canine patterns and correlations with craniofacial discrepancy

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Orthodontics
• Craniofacial Imaging

Background:

• Impacted maxillary canines (MIC) are a common dental anomaly.
• Understanding their prevalence and skeletal associations is crucial for diagnosis and treatment planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence, spatial patterns, and craniofacial skeletal associations of impacted maxillary canines.
• To analyze panoramic and cephalometric data in a large patient cohort.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cross-sectional study of 9593 panoramic radiographs (age ≥ 14).
• Cephalometric analysis on 94 MIC cases and 100 controls (age ≥ 18, skeletal maturity).
• Comparison of positional measurements and skeletal patterns using statistical tests.

Main Results:

• Prevalence of MIC was 2.02%, with a female predilection and 4:1 maxilla-to-mandible ratio.
• Mesioangular inclination in Sector 0 at coronal depth was the predominant pattern.
• MIC cases showed significant maxillary skeletal deficiency (ANS-PNS) and vertical hyperdivergence (SN-GoGn).

Conclusions:

• Maxillary canine impaction is associated with maxillary skeletal deficiencies and vertical growth discrepancies.
• Mesioangular impactions pose a risk for adjacent root resorption.
• Recommend cephalometric screening (ANS-PNS < 50 mm, SN-GoGn > 32°) for early detection and intervention.