The use of cone-beam tomography (CBCT) in planning the treatment of an impacted canine in the maxilla in a patient with the vertical growth pattern. A case report

Introduction
Impacted teeth are a common problem in the dental practice causing malocclusions that require an orthodontist’s intervention. Three-dimensional imaging allows precise determination of the position, structure of the tooth, the presence of resorption or spot ankylosis. These data help determine the prognosis of treatment, enable the surgeon to plan the tooth exposure technique, and the orthodontist to select the attachment site and the direction of forces acting on a tooth. Orthodontic-surgical treatment is a multi-stage process and requires good patient’s compliance and communication within a team of specialists. Despite potential difficulties, there are many benefits from bringing a tooth into the arch.

Aim
To demonstrate CBCT application in planning the treatment of an impacted canine in the maxilla.

Material and methods
A 12-year and 8-month-old female patient was treated in the Orthodontic Clinic of MUB in cooperation with the Clinic of Dental Surgery of MUB due to an impacted canine in the maxilla on the left side. The treatment consisted of exposure and bringing tooth 23 to the dental arch using fixed appliances.

Case report
The applied treatment allowed to bring tooth 23 to the dental arch, to reconstruct canine guidance on the side of a defect, and to achieve functional occlusion and smile aesthetics.

Summary
CBCT is likely one of the most revolutionary innovations in stomatology in recent years and provides a new platform for diagnostics and treatment planning, which plays an important role in the case of impacted teeth. The assessment of the precise position, anatomy and adjacent structures enables to plan the optimal intervention, shorten the treatment and to achieve satisfactory results.