Three-Dimensional Evaluation of Impacted Mesiodens Using Dental Cone-Beam Computed Tomography in Korean Children and Adolescents

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the shape and impacted pattern of mesiodens and associated complications using three dimensional images produced by dental CBCT. This study was based on the CBCT (CB Mercury, Hitachi, Tokyo, Japan) radiographic view of 280 pediatric patients who visited the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at the Chosun University Dental Hospital with the chief complain of mesiodens during between 2007 and 2012. Impacted mesiodens occurs more frequently in boys than in girls, the ratio being approximately 3.3:1 and most cases were observed between 6 and 8 years of age. The number of mesiodens per patient was 1.38. Majority of the mesiodens were conical (79.5%) in shape and inverted (48.6%) in direction. The mesio-distal position of mesiodens were the most common in middle sector (81.8%), vertical level were the most common near cervical (60.3%), and labio-palatal position were the most common at palatal side of the dental arch (73.8%). 47.5% of mesiodens had complications and common complications associated with mesiodens were displaced tooth and delayed eruptions. The shape, vertical level, and labio-palatal position of mesiodens had correlations with complications. CBCT appears to be an excellent diagnostic tool, providing three dimensional information and accurate images, for diagnosis of impacted mesiodens.