From Volume 14, Issue 3, July 2021 | Pages 147-154
The incidence of permanent canines failing to erupt in the mandible is not as common, and, therefore, not as well reported, as that in the maxilla. Mandibular canines have important functional and aesthetic purposes and knowledge of this uncommon condition is essential for those involved with the management of these cases. This article explores the aetiology, assessment and treatment options available to manage this condition, using examples from treated cases within our department.
Impaction is defined as the failure of eruption of a permanent tooth with a completely developed root. Transmigration is thought to occur almost exclusively with mandibular canines and has been defined as migration of an impacted tooth across the midline by more than half of its length.1,2,3 Prevalence of mandibular canine impaction has been reported as ranging between 0.31% and 1.35%, while that of mandibular canine transmigration lies between 0.1% and 0.31%.4,5,6 A number of local and systematic factors have been proposed as the causes for these conditions; however, the precise aetiology is unknown (Table 1).
Although several studies have been published regarding the incidence, aetiology and treatment strategies available for unerupted maxillary canines, studies regarding mandibular canines are less common.7,8,9,10 This is partly due to the fact that failure of eruption of the mandibular canine is such a rare event, and thus clinical guidelines derived from clinical studies prove difficult to develop.
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