Disease and Health Research: Recent Developments Vol. 3

Impacted maxillary canines are an important eruption disturbance requiring coordinated diagnostic, orthodontic, surgical, and periodontal management. This manuscript reviews the epidemiology, aetiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment options, prognosis, and complications of maxillary canine impaction and illustrates these principles through a challenging clinical case. An 8-year, 10-month-old male patient presented with marked dental crowding and abnormal eruption pathways of both maxillary canines. Interceptive management included maxillary expansion, extraction of selected primary teeth, and subsequent orthodontic space creation. Tooth 13 showed favourable spontaneous progression, whereas tooth 23 remained deeply impacted in a high, almost horizontal buccal position. Cone-beam computed tomography defined the three-dimensional position of tooth 23 and showed no detectable resorption of adjacent roots. Given the patient's young age, incomplete root development, available space, and absence of adjacent root damage, preservation of the permanent canine was attempted using closed surgical exposure followed by controlled orthodontic traction. Serial clinical and radiographic assessments demonstrated progressive inferior movement and improved angulation. By April 2025, the crown had emerged into the oral cavity; by June–July 2026, the canine had been incorporated into the maxillary arch and was undergoing final positioning. The case demonstrates the value of three-dimensional assessment, appropriate surgical selection, controlled biomechanics, and periodontal management in the conservative treatment of a severely displaced maxillary canine.