Radiographic assessment of patterns of impacted teeth in patients reporting for orthodontic treatment: A cross-sectional retrospective study

Introduction: An impacted tooth is one that remains unerupted and/or is partly erupted due to mechanical obstructions. These teeth can give rise to a magnitude ranging from dental caries, tumors, periodontal diseases to even jaw fractures. Materials and Methods: The study aimed to identify and analyze the impaction of maxillary and mandibular canines, premolars, and molars among children and adolescents aged 13 to ≤21 years of Indian origin belonging to both sexes who reported orthodontic treatment having good quality radiographs and medical/dental case sheets. The Pearson's Chi-square test analyzed the data obtained. Level of with a significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: Of 1001 individuals (551 M, 450 F), we could detect 709 individuals with impaction. The prevalence of impaction of third molar, canine, and premolar was found to be 29.1%, 31.4%, and 10.3%, respectively. Molar and canine impactions were more common in males, while premolar impactions were observed more in females. Conclusion: The prevalence of third molar impaction, canine impaction, and premolar impaction was found to be 29.1%, 31.4%, and 10.3%, respectively. Molar and canine impactions were more common in males, while premolar impactions were observed more in females among the patients reported for orthodontic treatment.