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Objectives: The objectives of this study were to compare the maxillary canine impaction severity and orthodontic treatment difficulty in relation to age and gender. Material and Methods: Orthopantomograms of 105 patients with maxillary canine impaction were retrospectively collected and divided into 50 adolescents (11–17 years; 30% females) and 55 young adults (18–25 years; 34% females). Canine impaction severity was determined using one angular and three linear radiographic measurements, while orthodontic treatment difficulty was determined using a modified Pitt et al. index. Age and gender differences were assessed using Chi-square with Bonferroni correction and Mann–Whitney U-tests (P < 0.05), while the association between orthodontic treatment difficulty index score and age was assessed using linear regression analysis (95% confidence interval). Results: Compared to young adults, adolescents had mild (<30°) canine long axis to midline angulation (P = 0.008) and distally positioned cusp tip of impacted canine relative to adjacent lateral incisor root (P < 0.001). Meanwhile, males compared to females had distally positioned cusp tip of impacted canine relative to adjacent lateral incisor root (P = 0.008), while females compared to males had the canine cusp tip mesial to lateral incisor root (P = 0.002). The orthodontic treatment difficulty trend increased with age (R2 = 0.077; P < 001) and was higher in young adults than adolescents (P = 0.0218). Conclusion: The severity of maxillary canine impaction was higher in young adults and, to a lesser extent, in females. Orthodontic treatment difficulty of impacted maxillary canines also increased with age but not gender.

Background: Dental pattern diversity was investigated in different populations, but none have focused on Saudi Arabia. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the dental pattern diversity in Saudi Arabia. Setting and Design: This was a retrospective study. Materials and Methods: Five thousand two hundred and twenty-five orthopantomograms of healthy dentate adults were divided into four age groups: Group 1, 18–30 years; Group 2, 31–45 years; Group 3, 46–55 years; and Group 4, >55 years. The conditions of the 32 teeth in each individual were assigned to 10 characteristics to form a dental pattern, and the diversity of patterns was estimated using the Simpson's Diversity Index. Statistical Analysis: The diversity, proportions, and frequency of unique dental patterns were descriptively compared between age groups and sexes. Results: The dental pattern diversity for full dentition was >0.99, with 5024 unique dental patterns. The diversity and frequency of dental patterns were lower in the maxillary and mandibular anterior segments compared to those in posterior segments. All virgin teeth were the most frequently observed dental pattern for full dentition (1.24%). The dental pattern diversity for full dentition was similar across the age groups, but the frequency of unique dental patterns was 68.23%, 91.47%, 90.39%, and 88.89% for Groups 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Further, the frequency of unique dental patterns was 10%–20% higher in females than in males. Conclusions: The dental pattern diversity was high in the studied Saudi Arabian sample and was affected by individuals' age and sex, where older individuals and females have higher diversity than younger individuals and males.