The position of maxillary canine impactions and the influenced factors to adjacent root resorption in the Korean population

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the position and aspects of maxillary canine impactions in the Korean population and investigate its comparison with the previous reports, while aiding in the establishment of diagnosis and treatment planning by revealing the influential factors of root resorption associated with such impactions. The subjects of this study consisted of 186 teeth from 148 patients, who had visited Seoul National University Dental Hospital due to impacted canines and had taken computerized tomographic images and panorama radiographic images. As a result, maxillary canine impaction in the Korean population occurred 1.5 times more often in females (F:M = 89:59) than males. Regarding the position of impaction, there were three times more buccal impactions (B:P = 140:46) than palatal impactions. The occurrence of root resorption was as high as 49.5 per cent. In evaluating the influential factors affecting adjacent root resorption, the significance of the impacted angulation was insufficient (P = 0.652). However, the buccopalatal position (P < 0.0001) and mesiodistal placement (P = 0.006, 0.037) of the impacted tooth were determined to be significant factors. Therefore, the adjacent root resorption caused by impacted maxillary canines can be stated to exhibit a greater amount of resorption as the positional proximity of the canine crown and lateral incisor root increases.