Persistent Deciduous Mandibular Canines as the Cause of Impaction of Permanent Mandibular Canines

Physiological resorption of the deciduous canine is essential for the eruption of permanent canines. Persistent deciduous canine lead to greater medial inclination of the permanent canine germ and deviation in the normal eruption path of the lower permanent canine. The aim of the present paper is to demonstrate the correlation between persistent mandibular deciduous canines and the retention of permanent canines. The axis inclination of the lower permanent canine germ of more than 25 degrees in relation to the median line and the deciduous canine, as well as the delay in resorption of one in relation to the opposite deciduous canine are indications of the altered eruption path even in children with early mixed dentition. In the presented clinical cases early extraction of the deciduous canine leads to improvement and better positioning of permanent canines. The extraction of the persistent deciduous canine in the permanent dentition with a formed root of an impacted tooth makes it harder to alter the path of the canine tooth. Timely diagnosis of impaction likelihood of permanent canines and extraction of temporary ones in early mixed dentition by reserving the space for the permanent canine is seen as a preventive measure for altering eruption paths.