Association Between Impacted Maxillary Canines and Adjacent Lateral Incisors: A Retrospective Study With Cone Beam Computed Tomography

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OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to evaluate the association between the morphologic characteristics of maxillary lateral incisors and maxillary canine impaction by using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images. METHODS: CBCT images of 52 patients (19 male and 33 female) with unilateral impacted maxillary canines were selected. The volume, root, and total lengths of the lateral incisor, mesiodistal and buccolingual widths of the lateral incisor crowns, angles between the central axis of the lateral incisor and the midline, occlusal plane, and the central axis of canines in both the impacted and non-impacted side were measured and compared. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were obtained when comparing the volume of the lateral incisor, the mesiodistal and buccolingual widths of the lateral incisor crown, the root and total lengths of the lateral incisors, and angles between the central axis of the lateral incisor and the midline and the central axis of the adjacent canine (P < .05). There were no significant differences in lateral incisor axis and the maxillary occlusal plane angulation. CONCLUSION: The association between the morphologic and angular features of the maxillary lateral incisors and maxillary canine impaction was confirmed. The volume of the lateral incisor, mesiodistal and buccolingual width of the lateral incisor crown, root and the total length of the lateral incisor, and the lateral incisor angulation to the midline and the axis of adjacent canine were found to be strong predictors of maxillary canine impaction.