Abstract
Objectives
The present multicentre study assessed the prevalence and patterns of impacted and transmigrated maxillary and mandibular canines in a Turkish subpopulation.
Methods
The study identified 1625 patients who had impacted teeth from a group of 10,700 patients (referred to three university hospitals between January 2014 and December 2015) and examined the accompanying records, panoramic and periapical radiographs, and cone-beam computed tomographic images (if available). An impacted canine was considered to be transmigrated when at least part of the tooth had crossed the midline.
Results
Out of 1625 patients, 163 (10.0%) had impacted canines (comprising a total of 170 affected teeth). Impacted canines were found in the maxilla in 114 patients (69.9%) and 49 patients (30.1%) showed mandibular canine impaction. Thirty-eight patients (2.3%) had transmigrated canines, of which twenty (52.6%) were located in the mandible, while 18 (47.4%) were found in the maxilla. No significant difference was evident between the genders, the site (right/left) and the impacted/transmigrated canines (p > 0.05). However, it was determined that canine impaction was significantly more frequent in the maxilla than in the mandible (p < 0.05). In addition, of the 38 patients presenting with transmigrated canines, eight (21.6%) had a history of alpha thalassemia.
Conclusions
Canine transmigration occurs in both the mandible and maxilla. The prevalence of impacted/transmigrated canines in the studied population was 10.0% and 2.3%, respectively. The mechanism of transmigration of maxillary canines remains unclear and requires further investigation. However, a possible correlation with genetic disorders (like alpha thalassemia) should not be overlooked.