Diagnosis & Considerations
Maxillary or mandibular canine
Palatal/lingual, midalveolar, buccal ectopia
Severity of ectopia
The severity can be classified by the position of the canine’s crown, root and bodily angulation on a radiograph. See radiographic signs.
Clinical Considerations
When should interceptive treatment be performed?
Interceptive treatment should be performed as soon as canine ectopia is suspected and whilst the permanent canines are actively erupting. This can be as early as 9 years of age and till the age of 12 in some patients. The goal is reduce the risk of canine impaction by space creation through extraction of the C’s and/or active orthodontics.
Genetic and/or environmental aetiology
There have been proposals of genetic and environmental aetiologies for ectopic canines. Palatally ectopic upper canines are said to have a genetic (X-linked autosomal dominant) (Peck and Peck 1994) and guidance theory (Broadbent 1941), whilst buccally ectopic canines are said to be more environmental or crowding in origin (Becker 2015).
