PALATALLY IMPACTED CANINES - ETIOLOGY OF IMPACTION AND THE SCOPE FOR INTERCEPTION - REPORT OF CASES OUTSIDE THE GUIDELINES FOR INTERCEPTION

Patients with palatally impacted canines have an increased incidence o f missing or anomalous lateral incisors adjacent to the impacted canin es. Their arches are often uncrowded and this, in part, is linked to t he increased incidence of missing or anomalous lateral incisors. Other teeth are also more frequently missing. The present guidelines for th e relief of palatally impacted canines by extraction of the deciduous canine require that the patient is aged between 10-13 years and that n ormal space conditions are present. Two successful case reports are pr esented which were outside the recommended guidelines. The technique o f relieving a palatal impaction by extraction of the deciduous canine has wide application.