Spiral computed tomograpy in the evaluation of relations of the impacted maxillary canines and the adjacent incisor roots

Background: The relations of the crowns of impacted maxillary canines and the roots of adjacent incisors are difficult to evaluate on conventional radiographs due to superimposition of shadows of these structures. The aim of this study was to analyse the relations between the crowns of impacted canines and the roots of adjacent incisors with the use of computed tomography. Material/Methods: The study involved a group of 65 patients suspicious for an impacted maxillary permanent canine. All the patients underwent pantomography. In 44 individuals in the age of 13-31 years (mean age 17.1±4.5) the examination revealed shadows of the impacted crowns superimposed on the roots of incisors. These patients were subjected to CT. On the basis of those CT examinations (including multiplanar and three-dimensional reconstructions) we defined the location of the impacted canines as buccal, palatal and horizontal. Likewise, the relations between the crowns of impacted canines and the roots of lateral or/and central incisors were studied. Results: From among 54 impacted maxillary canines, 41 (75.9%) were located palatally, 10 (18.5%) buccally, and 3 (5.6%) horizontally. In 14 cases (29.5%), the impacted canine remained in various kind of contact with both adjacent incisors. In addition to those aforementioned 14 cases, the impacted maxillary canine remained in contact with adjacent root of the lateral incisor in 34 cases (in total: 48 cases of contact). We found 17 cases (35.4%) of adherence without features of root resorption and 31 cases (64.4%) of resorption. Among the cases of resorption, there were 18 instances of deep resorption (58.1%) and 13 instances of light resorption (41.9%). There were also 18 cases (33.3%) of contact between the impacted canine and the root of the central incisor, including 10 instances (55.6%) of adjacency without root resorption and 8 cases (44.4%) of resorption. Conclusions: Computed tomography allows for a precise localisation of the impacted teeth and evaluation of their influence on the adjacent anatomical structures.