Comparison of maxillary canine characteristics between buccal and palatal impactions in humans belonging to the South Indian population- A preliminary observational CBCT study

Aim: To evaluate and compare the various general, morphologic and positional factors that influence the dis-impaction of maxillary buccal and palatal canine impactions in the human population. Materials and Methods: A retrospective observational study with 14 patients divided into two groups, G1 consisting of eight patients with palatal canine impaction and G2 consisting of six patients with buccal canine impaction was conducted. Several factors such as age, gender, presence of spacing between the anterior teeth, presence of dilaceration, pericoronal radiolucency, presence of periodontal ligament space, shape, length and width of the impacted canine were compared between the two groups, G1 and G2. Several linear and angular measurements were made to determine the position of the canine in the maxilla and were compared between the groups. Chi Square test and Mann Whitney U test was performed to compare the difference in general and morphologic parameters and linear and angular measurements of the canine in relation to the sagittal and vertical plane between the two groups, G1 and G2. Binary logistic regression was performed to predict an association between the various parameters and a favourable outcome following dis-impaction. Results: The frequency of canine impaction showed a statistically significant difference between G1 and G2 with unilateral impactions in four samples in both the groups and four samples in G1 and two samples in G2 having bilateral impactions, respectively (p = 0.5). There was statistically significant difference between the groups with respect to the position of the impacted canine with the adjacent teeth with the canine crown located on the palatal or distal aspect of the anterior teeth in G1 compared to the palatal, buccal and distal aspect in G2 (p=0.04). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups for the other parameters. Conclusion: There was no statistically significant difference between buccal and palatal impactions with respect the general, morphologic and positional factors for most of the parameters except for the of frequency of canine impaction and the position of tip of crown to the adjacent tooth.