Date of Award

Spring 2001

Document Type

Thesis - Restricted

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Dentistry

First Advisor

Villalobos, Francisco

Second Advisor

Bradley, Thomas

Third Advisor

Stier, Erwin

Abstract

During their course of development the crowns of the permanent canines are intjmately related to the roots of the lateral incisors. It seems important that the presence of the lateral incisor root with adequate length, formed at the right time, is an important variable needed to guide the mesially erupting canine in a more favorable distal and incisal direction. There is still lack of agreement whether lateral incisor root provides the necessary guidance to the erupting canine during its course of eruption. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of palatal impaction of maxillary canines in conjunction with congenitally missing/peg-shaped maxillary lateral incisors. 1290 patient records were screened from the Orthodontic Clinic at Marquette University. 37 patients, 17 males and 20 females, were found with total of 51 congenitally missing lateral incisors. These patients werre further investigated for peg-shaped lateral incisors. A total of 13 peg-shaped laterals were identified. These congenitally missing and peg-shaped lateral incisors were also investigated for palatal canine implications. In this study 6% of the missing and 23% peg-shaped laterals had palatal canine impactions. The incidence of palatally impacted canines in this study was 2-3 times and 8-12 times in missing and peg-shaped lateral incisors respectably, as compared to the incidence of palatal canine impaction found in the general population. Although this study showed similar results shown by earlier studies, there were a large number of unexplained palatal canjne impactions in both missing and peg-lateral categories. Past studies did not exclude the other possible variables that could also disturb the eruption pattern of the developing canine, whereas this study tried lo minimize them. This study also found males and females with 2.8I% and 2.91% incidence of congenitally missing maxillary lateral incisors respectably. When the incidence of congenitally missing maxillary laterals was seen per quadrant, the result was I.73% and 2.18% in males and females respectably. This study indicates that incidence of maxillary canine impaction is 2-3 times with congenitally missing laterals and 8-l2 times with peg-shaped laterals as compared to palatal canine impactions found in general population.

Share

COinS

Restricted Access Item

Having trouble?