Extraction of a horizontally impacted mandibular canine through a genioplasty approach: Report of a case

Abstract

Impacted mandibular canines are less common than impacted maxillary canines. They are often in a horizontal position and can migrate anteriorly, some crossing the midline. A canine is considered transmigrated when more than half of the tooth has crossed the midline. A study by Rohrer’ examining 3,000 patients radiographically found 62 impacted maxillary canines (2.06%) and only 3 impacted mandibular canines (O.l%), a 2O:l ratio. Nodine’ found 62 impacted canines per thousand and 44 per thousand in white men and women, respectively. His study showed a lesser frequency in Chinese men and women, with 7 per thousand in men and 9 per thousand in women. However, he did not subgroup the maxillary and mandibular canines. Kramer and Williams3 examined 3,745 patients and found 48 impacted canines; only 3 (.0X%) were impacted mandibular canines. Grover and Lorton4 studied 5,000 Army recruits and found 10,979 impacted teeth; 153 were canines, of which 11 (.l%) were in the mandible. Miranti and Levbarg5 reviewed 2,000 panoramic radiographs and found only 1 (0.05%) impacted mandibular canine, which happened to be transmigrated. The preceeding studies show that impacted mandibular canines occur in approximately 0.1% of patients examined. Among these studies, only the report by Miranti and Levbarg’ dealt with the treatment of the impacted mandibular canine. A report by Javid6 discussed 13 cases of transmigrated impacted mandibular canines, but did not discuss surgical treatment.