Association Between Maxillary Impacted Canine Position and Root Resorption of the Adjacent Incisors: A CT Study

Abstract
Background: Resorption of permanent maxillary incisors is a
common complication of ectopically positioned maxillary canines
and when they occur they may drastically increasing both the cost
and complexity of the orthodontic treatment, thus early diagnosis
and corrective measures are imperative. This study aimed to
investigate the association between the maxillary impacted canines
labio-palatal and mesio-distal positions and the associated root
resorption of adjacent maxillary incisors.
Materials and Methods: The sample included 46 patients with an
age ranged between 12 and 30 years referred to the CT scan image
to detect unilaterally or bilaterally impacted maxillary canines. The
mesio-distal position of the canine cusp tip, the labio-palatal position of the impacted canines, contact and root resorption of
permanent incisors were evaluated with CT scan image. The
association between the impacted canines position and root
resorption of permanent incisors were analyzed using Chi square
test.
Results: Labially and mid-alveolus impacted canines were more
common in sectors I and IV, while palatally impacted canines were
most frequent in Sector IV. Lateral incisors were more often
affected than central incisors by root resorption. Root resorption of
permanent incisors showed a high significant association with
sector location [p ≤ 0.001] and was observed in sectors III and IV.
Conclusions: When canine impactions are suspected in sectors III
or IV, CT scan must be considered to disclose suspected incisor
resorption.
Keywords: Impacted canines, computerized tomography, root
resorption