Early arrested development and coronal resorption of an impacted maxillary canine: report of case

Coronal resorption of maxillary canines is a possible complication of long standing impaction. Degeneration of the enamel epithelium allows the connective tissues to come into direct contact with enamel. Irregular replacement of the pericoronal tissues and resorbed enamel by bone characterizes the histological picture. Inflammatory changes are rare. Resorption of enamel is slow and usually symptomless so that reported cases have usually been incidental radiographic findings in older patients. This report presents the early arrested development, ankylosis and resorption of the crown of a maxillary canine in a child 7.7-years-old. Arrest of crown development occurred between three and four-years-of-age. Radiographically the crown of the canine was incompletely formed and showed irregular resorption. Serial radiographs taken over a five-year period showed movement of the canine superiorly in relation to the hard palate which was taken as radiographic evidence for ankylosis of the resorbing maxillary canine in a growing child.