Severely impacted canine: High risk or great challenge to overcome?

Canine impaction is a common issue in orthodontics. Canines play important functional and esthetic roles in humans, and altered eruption of these teeth is an important patient concern. Therefore, a sound diagnostic and therapeutic approach and clear knowledge of all prognostic implications are mandatory for timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment planning. Early diagnosis and intervention are extremely important. Untreated impacted canines can result in various complications, including displacement and loss of vitality of the adjacent teeth, arch length discrepancy, dental midline shift, formation of follicular cysts, ankylosis, recurrent infections, pain, caries decay, internal resorption, external resorption of the canine and adjacent teeth, or combinations of thereof. Due to advanced diagnostic techniques, an increasing number of patients with impacted canines are diagnosed early and referred for treatment, satisfying their increasing demands for oral health. Here, a case of an impacted maxillary canine in a young patient is reported, and the literature is discussed.