The importance of cone-beam computed tomography in the diagnosis and orthodontic planning of impacted canine/ A importância da tomografia computada com cone-feixe no diagnóstico e planejamento ortodôntico de caninos impactos

Abstract

Until recently, conventional radiographic methods were the only images used to help the planning of cases of patients with impacted teeth. However, they are two-dimensional images and provided limited information about the location and positioning of the impacted tooth, as well as its relationship with adjacent structures, leading to diagnosis error and mistakes in the orthodontic treatment plan. The advent of cone-beam computed tomography in dentistry allowed the tridimensional visualization of anatomical structures. The aim of this study was to perform a literature review to evaluate the impact of cone-beam computed tomography in the diagnosis and planning of orthodontic treatment of cases with superior canines impacted, seeking to highlight if the access to the tomography images can modify the planning of the case. A search on the PubMed, Scielo and Bireme databases was performed using the descriptors: "Cone-Beam Computed Tomography", "Tooth, Impacted" and "Orthodontics", selecting literature review articles, clinical cases and comparative studies both in English and Portuguese literature. It was verified that the images obtained by the cone-beam computed tomography scan provide more reliable information regarding the location of the canine, as well as in the identification of root resorption in the adjacent teeth. This information is important for a more accurate diagnosis, which may lead to a change in the initial orthodontic treatment plan, which justifies the indication of cone-beam computed tomography as an auxiliary diagnostic tool in cases with impacted canine, even using higher doses of radiation when compared to two-dimensional images