Dr. Martín Pedernera: Impacted Canines. From prevention to retention

Early diagnosis of canine impaction is key to achieving treatment success. Its exact location, as well as determining its existing relationship with the adjacent teeth and other anatomical structures, conditions a correct diagnostic process, which, on the other hand, is essential to achieve a satisfactory treatment.

It is essential to dedicate most of our efforts to detecting in time and intercepting those cases in early stages of development in order to prevent the importation of permanent canines.

Orthodontic treatment of maxillary canines has certain peculiarities compared to other orthodontic treatments. In order to carry it out effectively, it is necessary to make a precise diagnosis of the position of the canines, a correct surgical approach to them and apply the appropriate orthodontic protocol that allows their correct location in the arch without causing unwanted effects on the neighbouring teeth

With the advent of the orthodontic technique with transparent aligners, the need arises to structure and protocolise both the planning with 3D software as well as the mechanisms that allow us to pull the canines to their place in the arch and, of course, the way in which we will plan the retention of such cases