Early treatment of palatally erupting maxillary canines by extraction of the primary canines

Risk management in clinical practice. Part 7. Dento-legal aspects of orthodontic practice

“…In the case of palatally placed permanent canines, the extraction of the deciduous canine between ten and 13 years old is in certain cases an effective treatment approach and studies have shown that this can be 91% successful if the unerupted canine overlaps the lateral incisor by less than half the breadth of the root when visualised on a panoramic radiograph. 4 The issue of early treatment for Class II and Class III malocclusions is contentious, and falls outside the scope of this article; nevertheless, in the best interests of the patient, the general dentist should refer the patient and leave the treatment decisions to the orthodontist.…”

Limited evidence for interceptive extraction of deciduous teeth to prevent permanent canine impaction

“…Although the prevalence of impacted, displaced or ectopic maxillary canines is reported as only between 1% to 3%, 1,2 this can lead to dental crowding as well as movement or root resorption of neighbouring teeth and, more rarely, cyst formation. 3,4 It is generally accepted that the majority (85%) of ectopic maxillary canines move palatally, 5 although a more recent CT study, 3 suggests the figure may be closer to 50%. Unless it is decided to leave and monitor the unerupted canine tooth, treatment will usually involve surgical exposure followed by orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances, and this may be prolonged.…”

An audit of referral practice for patients with impacted palatal canines and the impact of referral guidelines

“…17 Case reports have shown that if diagnosed early, interceptive measures may correct the eruption path of the permanent tooth and prevent impaction. 8,[18][19][20][21][22] Furthermore, Eriksson and Kurol 23 showed in a prospective trial that 78% of palatally impacted canines erupted following removal of the deciduous predecessor in uncrowded arches before the age of 11 years. These findings were later supported by a similar investigation in both crowded and uncrowded malocclusions.…”