Adrian Becker

The incidence of anomalous maxillary lateral incisors in relation to palatally-displaced cuspids.

This study reports an exceptionally high incidence of palatal displacement of maxillary cuspids in the presence of anomalous lateral incisors, and explores some of the relationships between these teeth during the critical developmental stages. It is suggested that the possibility of palatal cuspid displacement be evaluated in all cases with anomalous lateral incisors.

Success rate and duration of orthodontic treatment for adult patients with palatally impacted maxillary canines

This study was undertaken to examine the success rate and the length of orthodontic treatment of impacted maxillary canines in adult patients. A sample of 19 adults (mean age, 28.8 +/- 8.6 years; range, 20-47 years), who had been treated for a total of 23 impacted maxillary canines, was compared with a younger control group (mean age, 13.7 +/- 1.3 years; range, 12-16 years). The control subjects were chosen for a similar degree of impaction difficulty by carefully matching the positions of the impacted canines in the 3 planes of space. The success rate among the adults was 69.5% compared with 100% among the younger controls. The lower success rate was due to 5 canines that had failed to erupt and 2 canines that had been partially extruded but could not be aligned in the arch. The duration of treating the overall malocclusion of the adults and young subjects did not materially differ. However, the adults showed significant increases in the duration and number of treatment visits required for resolving the canine impaction, in both the simpler and the more difficult cases. When further divided by age, all the failed canines were found in the older (over 30) adult subgroup. It was concluded that the prognosis for successful orthodontic resolution of an impacted canine in an adult is lower than that in a younger patient and that the prognosis worsens with age. Furthermore, when such treatment is undertaken, its successful completion should be expected to take considerably longer.

Cleidocranial dysplasia: Part 1–General principles of the orthodontic and surgical treatment modality

Over several decades, occasional reports of dental treatment provided by an individual practitioner to patients suffering with cleidocranial dysplasia have appeared in the literature. In the past, the main treatment was prosthetic replacement. Orthodontic treatment has only recently been considered as a serious treatment option, with success being described in several aspects of this treatment modality, in published individual case reports. Given the rarity of the condition, guidelines for the treatment of cleidocranial dysplasia are difficult to find in the literature, because few practitioners have treated enough cases to be in a position to make such recommendations. Two different approaches have been proposed in the past and are discussed here. The relative advantages of a third approach are expounded in detail.

Root length of lateral incisors adjacent to palatally-displaced maxillary cuspids.

An evaluation of 70 palatally-displaced cuspids and 106 controls finds significantly shorter lateral incisor adjacent to the palatal cuspids.

Prevalence of Tooth Transposition, Third Molar Agenesis, and Maxillary Canine Impaction in Individuals with Down Syndrome

Alterations in the size, morphology and number of teeth are among the many inherited disorders that have been reported in individuals with Down syndrome. By contrast, third molar agenesis and tooth transposition have been largely ignored and the prevalence of canine impaction has not been reported. The intention of this study was to quantify the occurrence of these anomalies in a group of individuals with Down syndrome, using standardized records, which included a clinical examination, dental casts, and a panoramic radiograph. The results show a notably high prevalence of third molar agenesis (74% of individuals older than 14 years), canine impaction (15%), and maxillary canine/first premolar transposition (15%), compared to published figures from random population samples. These anomalies should not be seen as separate, independent entities, but as associated phenomena. The slow rate of cell growth and a consequent reduced cell number that characterize this syndrome may be responsible for the underdevelopment of the upper jaw, the delayed dental development, the reduction in teeth number and size, and the altered path of canine eruption. No explanation, other than genetics, is immediately available to explain why the maxillary canine/first premolar transposition should represent another phenotypic expression of this trisomy.

Periodontal status following the alignment of palatally impacted canine teeth

Twenty-three patients who had completed treatment to resolve the unilateral palatal impaction of a maxillary canine by orthodontic means were examined 2.3 years (mean) after all appliances had been discarded. Scores were noted for the plaque index, gingival index, attached gingiva, pocket depth, and bone support on each of the affected teeth and also on the contralateral canine which had been unaffected and thus acted as a control. In addition, the teeth immediately adjacent to both canines were similarly scored. The results indicated no significant difference in the plaque index and the amount of attached gingiva, while the gingival index, pocket depth, and particularly the bone support all showed statistically valid differences. It is suggested that in these cases a postorthodontic assessment of the state of the supporting tissues be performed and periodontal treatment instituted in those requiring it.

Resorbed lateral incisors adjacent to impacted canines have normal crown size

The importance of detecting maxillary canine impaction is that it may compromise dental health, particularly since a small but significant proportion of impacted canines is associated with the resorption of the roots of neighboring teeth. It has been shown that the existence of small and peg-shaped lateral incisors is highly correlated with maxillary canine palatal impaction. To date, however, it has not been established whether the root resorption that occurs has a similar correlation or a predilection for one or other types of lateral incisor crown structure. Accordingly, a group of patients with buccally or palatally impacted canines, in which root resorption of the lateral incisor could be diagnosed roentgenographically, was examined and compared with a group of cases with palatally impacted canines, none of which showed root resorption, which served as controls. The mesiodistal crown dimension of the lateral incisor in the experimental group was found to be normal in all patients except three (13%), which was significantly different from the distribution of lateral incisor size in the control group (p < 0.001). In the majority of the cases, aggressive root resorption of the lateral incisor root had occurred. We would speculate that in these cases, the normal-sized and early developing lateral incisor root obstructs the deviated eruption path of the canine and consequently stands a considerably greater chance of being damaged by resorption.

Analysis of failure in the treatment of impacted maxillary canines.

INTRODUCTION In this study, we aimed to evaluate the reasons for failure of orthodontic treatment for impacted maxillary canines and to recommend measures to overcome them. METHODS Twenty-eight patients (ages, 17.4 +/- 4.3 years) with 37 maxillary impacted canines were referred after a failed attempt to resolve the impaction. Reasons for failure were analyzed, and corrective measures undertaken. The success rate of the revised treatments and the durations of both treatments were recorded. RESULTS The mean duration of the failed treatments was 26.2 +/- 17.2 months. The failed treatments were mostly based on plane radiographs, intra-arch dental anchorage, and elastic traction directly to the labial archwire. The major reasons for failure were inadequate anchorage (48.6%), mistaken location and directional traction (40.5%), and ankylosis (32.4%). In several patients, there was more than 1 possible reason for failure. The success rate of the revised treatments was 71.4%, and the mean duration was 14.4 +/- 7.2 months. Repeat surgery was needed for 62.9% of the canines in which corrective treatment was started, mostly to redirect the ligature wires. The corrective measures included the use of 3-dimensional imaging and a change in the direction of traction. Anchorage was reinforced by dental and skeletal means. CONCLUSIONS Inaccurate 3-dimensional diagnosis of location and orientation of impacted teeth and failure to appreciate anchorage demands were the major reasons for failure in the treatment of impacted canines.

Cleidocranial dysplasia: Part 2-Treatment protocol for the orthodontic and surgical modality

The principles on which the present approach to the treatment of cleidocranial dysplasia are based were stated in part 1 of this article. Comparison was made with two other methods and the advantages of the present method were described in terms of (a) how this method is adapted to the clinical features of the condition, (b) when surgical intervention is appropriate, (c) how the dynamic appliance system may be adapted to the changing environment as more teeth erupt, and (d) the importance of rapidly bringing about the eruption of the anterior teeth. The practical aspects of the treatment are now described step-by-step with illustrations taken from the treatment of several different patients.

Maxillary incisor impaction and its relationship to canine displacement

This study aimed to examine the eruption status of unerupted maxillary permanent canines in patients who also had an impacted central incisor. Seventy-five unilateral cases of the incisor anomaly were retrospectively examined. Using the initial panoramic films, we assessed the positions of the ipsilateral and contralateral canines and the lateral incisors and the timing (eruption progress) of the canines. The final position of the canines was evaluated from patient records and progress photographs. The data showed a significant increase in prevalence and severity of displaced canines in the ipsilateral side (41.3%) compared with the contralateral side (4.7%). Palatally displaced canines occurred in 9.5%, buccally displaced canines in 30.2%, and canine-lateral incisor transposition in 1.6% of the patients. Half of the buccally displaced canines in the ipsilateral side were pseudotransposed with the adjacent lateral incisor. The eruption timing of ipsilateral undisplaced canines was either similar or delayed, relative to the contralateral tooth, but never accelerated. The ipsilateral lateral incisor was strongly angulated because of a more distally located apex (5 mm) rather than a mesially tipped crown. The ipsilateral canine was relatively more superiorly positioned (undererupted). Patients who had trauma had a significantly higher prevalence and severity of canine displacement and more distally displaced lateral incisor apices. Initial height of incisor impaction did not influence the results. These data provide evidence of a significant environmental influence of an impacted maxillary central incisor in delaying and altering the eruption path of the ipsilateral maxillary canine.