Comparison of Lateral Tooth Volume and Morphology Between Buccally and Palatally Localised Unilateral Impacted Maxillary Canine Cases on Cone-Beam Computed Tomography.

The aim of this study was to compare the lateral tooth volume and morphology differences between buccally and palatally localized unilateral impacted maxillary canine (IMC) patients with volumetric and linear measurements on cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) records. CBCT records of 48 individuals with 24-buccally and 24-palatally localized unilateral IMCs were included to the study. The patients comprised 34 females, 14 males, with a mean age of 17.71 (±SD 6.63 years). This split-mouth, retrospective case-control, study consisted of buccally and palatally IMC group, and each group was categorized into 2 sub-groups as impacted and erupted side. Lateral tooth volume, tooth length, mesiodistal-buccolingual crown widths, mesiodistal- buccolingual root widths at cemento-enamel junction (CEJ), at 4 mm apical to CEJ, at 8 mm apical to CEJ, mesiodistal crown-root angle, arch perimeter measurements were performed on CBCT images. The data were analyzed by factorial design repeated measures ANOVA. Bonferroni test was used for post-hoc analysis. The total volume, mesiodistal - buccolingual crown widths, buccolingual root width of lateral incisor at CEJ were statistically smaller in palatally IMC group. The lateral incisor's length, and arch perimeter were statistically shorter, mesiodistal, buccolingual root widths at 8 mm apical to CEJ, and crown-root angle of the lateral were narrower on impacted side than erupted side. The volume and crown widths of lateral incisor are effective in sagittal localization of IMC. The shorter length, narrower apical root morphology and mesially inclined crown-root angle of lateral incisor are noteworthy on impacted sides, regardless of sagittal position of IMC.