Abstract
Impaction of canines is commonly seen in dental practice, and there are various conditions of impaction of canines. In this study, a new classification of impacted canines using orthopantomograms was proposed. In this new classification, impacted canines were divided into 7 types according to the angulation of the tooth axis: Type I: vertical impaction, Type II: mesioangular impaction, Type III: distoangular impaction, Type IV: horizontal impaction with the crown facing mesially, Type V: horizontal impaction with the crown facing distally, Type VI: inverted impaction, and Type VII: impaction with an inclination in a labiopalatal direction or ectopic impaction (displacement). Seventy cases were examined under this classification, and the results are follows: Type I: 28 cases (40.0%), Type II: 24 cases (34.3%), Type III: 1 case (1.4%), Type IV: 8 cases (11.5%), Type V: 1 case (1.4%), Type VI: 5 cases (7.1%), and Type VII: 3 cases (4.3%). These results showed that the number of cases for each type decreased in the order of Type I, II, IV, V, VII, and III and V. It was indicated that being a simple procedure using orthopantomograms, this classification can be useful not only in the general dental practice but also in a number of specialities including orthodontics, oral surgery, pedodontics and radiology.
