Surgical-Orthodontic Treatment Of Impacted Canines

The main purpose of our study is to present the corrective movement of impacted canines using various surgical-orthodontic techniques. Materials and method: The study was conducted on a batch of 27 patients aged 18 to 25 years, which were examined in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Ambulatory of Iasi and in Dr. Bogdan Stelea‘s private practice, between 2006 and 2007. The batch was formed by 22 patients with upper impacted canine and 5 patients with lower impacted canine. For this study we used only the batch of patients who presented upper impacted canine. Depending on the clinical status, we used the following surgical techniques: repositioned flap, gingival translation flap, window flap method and local mesh application. After surgery for 19 patients we considered that canine traction with an orthodontic device was necessary in order to obtain a vertical position of the teeth. The orthodontic systems used were: fixed orthodontics, ballista spring system or simple metallic clasps fixed on molar rings. Results and discussion: We used the repositioned flap for 3 patients with deep impacted canines in order to uncover the teeth and to bond an auxiliary orthodontic device, the gingival translation flap for 7 patients with superficial impacted canines: 5 cases with apical translation and 2 with lateral and apical translation. The window flap was used for 12 patients with palatal impaction. After surgery all patients continued orthodontic treatment in order to correct every dental malposition and to obtain a neutral occlusion with esthetical, functional and stabile results.