Genta AGANI SABAH, Mehmet Gümüş KANMAZ
Meandros Medical and Dental Journal - 2026;27(2):233-241
Objective: To evaluate the relationship between radiographic measurements from panoramic images and root resorption of neighboring teeth in patients with a unilateral impacted maxillary canine, with cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) as the reference standard. Materials and Methods: 83 Caucasian patients with unilateral maxillary impacted canines were included. Panoramic parameters, including canine angulation relative to the midline, occlusal plane, and lateral incisor, sector classification, perpendicular distance to the occlusal plane (d distance), and primary canine retention, were measured. Root resorption was assessed using CBCT. Associations were analyzed using univariate tests, binary logistic regression, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, with significance set at p<0.05. Results: Root resorption was detected in 42.2% of cases, primarily affecting the lateral incisors (82.9%). Univariate analysis revealed that a greater d distance (p=0.004) and patient age (p=0.027) were associated with root resorption, whereas gender, primary canine retention, and angular measurements showed no associations (p>0.05). The d distance was confirmed as a significant independent predictor in the logistic regression model (OR=1.175, p=0.034), with ROC analysis establishing an optimal d distance cut-off of 11.2 mm (AUC=0.685), whereas patient age did not retain significance (p>0.05). Although the regression model indicated a marginally lower risk for Sector III compared to Sector I, sector classification did not demonstrate standalone predictive value (p>0.05). Conclusion: The d distance was the only parameter that independently predicted adjacent root resorption, with 11.2 mm identified as a potential threshold that may assist in risk stratification and support selective referral for CBCT in suspected higher-risk cases.
