Reliability of Panoramic Radiographs for Early Prediction of Impacted Maxillary Canine

Abstract

The word "early" is sometimes regarded as occurring before the usual or physiological period in the biological sense. The average age at which an upper canine must erupt is 13 years in boys, 12 years in girls and three months. Thus, the ability to detect tooth malposition as early as in the early mixed dentition (8 years approximately) and anticipate canine impaction in the same time will be highly helpful to the clinician for a positive outcome of the procedure. To predict the impaction of canine using panoramic radiographs and re-confirmed using cone-beam computed tomography. Fifty cases out of which ten had bilaterally impacted maxillary canines, and 40 had unilaterally impacted maxillary canines with an average age of 10-11years ±5 months. Firstly, tracings were performed on orthopantomogram, and sector location classification as given by Steven Lindauer was applied. Findings from orthopantomogram were compared to Cone Beam Computed Tomography findings. In the labial group, 55% canine cusp tips were in sectors I, 40% in sector II and 5% in sector III. Whereas in the palatal group, 10% were in sector II, 60% in sector III and 30% in sector IV. This research demonstrates that the sector location of impacted canine as presented by Steven Lindauer that root apices may be used to forecast maxillary canine impactions early and to determine their labiopalatal location on panoramic radiographs.