Radiographic Evaluation of Position and Angulation of Impacted Maxillary Canines in Cleft Palate Cases

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the position and angulation of impacted maxillary canines in unilateral and bilateral cleft lip and palate cases and compare them to noncleft cases. Material and method: In this study 60 patients OPGs were taken out of which 20 (12 males, 8 females) presented with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) (Group I), 20 (15 males, 5 females) had bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) (Group II) and 20 (13 males, 7 females) had no clefts (Group III). All the subjects had impacted maxillary canines (bilateral or unilateral). Cases with 2/3rd canine root completion were selected. Intruis suite R2 software was used to determine the position and angulation of the canine. Results: A total of 63% (37) of the canines were in Sector 1, and 31% (18) were in Sector 2. In-depth of canine impaction relative to the root of the incisor maximum canines were in Grade II and Grade III at 45% (27) and 36% (22) respectively. Angulation of the canine relative to the intercondylar line was seen most in Group II (75%) and (19%) in Group I as compared to the noncleft group (Group III). No difference was seen in the position of canine impaction for buccally and palatally canines and for the unilateral and bilateral cleft groups or the noncleft and cleft groups. Conclusions: The majority of the impacted canines had cusp tips located in sectors II and III. In almost all cases, angulation did not increase the prediction of eventual impaction, although it may have contributed slightly in Sector II.