Pre-treatment radiographic features for the periodontal prognosis of treated impacted canines.

Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the prognostic role of the pre-treatment radiographic features on the post-treatment periodontal status of intra-osseous impacted maxillary canines.

Material And Methods: A study population of 168 patients (211 canines) was evaluated at the end of the overall surgical-orthodontic treatment consisting of a combined surgical (flap) and orthodontic (direct traction to the centre of the ridge) approach. The pre-treatment variables on the panoramic radiograph were alpha-angle, d-distance and s-sector while the post-treatment periodontal variables were pocket depth (PD) and keratinized tissue width (KT). Multilevel statistical analysis was used to evaluate the role of the pre-treatment radiographic factors on the post-treatment periodontal variables at patient, tooth and site levels.

Results: No significant differences in PD or KT were found at the end of surgical-orthodontic treatment with respect to age, gender, site of impaction or pre-treatment radiographic position of the impacted canine. The only statistically, but not clinically, significant difference (about 0.5 mm) was found for the KT that was greater for the palatally impacted canines than for the buccally impacted ones.

Conclusions: alpha-angle, d-distance and s-sector measured on the pre-treatment panoramic radiographs did not represent prognostic indicators of final periodontal status of orthodontically re-positioned canines.