Dental anomalies associated with buccally- and palatally-impacted maxillary canines.

AIM: The aim of the present study was to determine the association of both buccally- and palatally-impacted canines with other dental anomalies.

METHODS

This retrospective study was conducted on a population of 533 southern Chinese children and adolescents who had impacted maxillary canines that had been treated in the Paediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics Clinic, Prince Philip Dental Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. Descriptions of the impacted canine and other associated anomalies were obtained from the case notes and radiographs. Clinical photographs and study casts were used, where available.

RESULTS

A total of 253 (47.5%) patients with impacted maxillary canines were diagnosed with other dental anomalies. Microdontia was the most frequently-occurring anomaly reported in these patients, with the maxillary lateral incisor the most commonly affected tooth. Other odontogenic anomalies that were associated with both buccally- and palatally-impacted canines included hypodontia, supernumerary teeth, transposition of other teeth, enamel hypoplasia, other impacted teeth, and dens invaginatus.

CONCLUSION

Both buccally- and palatally-impacted canines were found to be associated with other odontogenic anomalies.