From Volume 16, Issue 2, April 2023 | Pages 92-94
This article describes a case of bilateral impaction of upper second premolars into the upper first permanent molars in a 12-year-old female patient. The extraction of both resorbed upper first molars, and subsequent orthodontic management is described.
Impaction of teeth may be seen with arch length discrepancy, premature primary tooth loss, the presence of supernumerary teeth, cleft palate and other conditions such as cleidocranial dysplasia.1 A tooth that remains partially or fully embedded in bone or mucosa for 2 years post physiological eruption time is defined as impacted.2 Third molars are the most commonly impacted teeth followed by maxillary canines, and second premolars.3 Impacted molar teeth, excluding the third molar, are least prevalent.4
Root resorption is often associated with impacted or unerupted teeth.5 The upper lateral incisor is the most common tooth to suffer from resorption owing to the impaction of an upper permanent canine.6,7Incidence of resorption of second molars is low, even when third molars are the most commonly impacted tooth in the arch.8 In contrast to upper lateral incisors, root resorption of an upper permanent molar from an upper permanent second premolar is relatively rare.9 The second premolar usually erupts between the ages of 10 and 12 years. They are among the final teeth in the succession pattern to erupt.10 The literature shows root resorption can occur on molar teeth with ectopic and non-palpable premolars in line with the arch, but this is a rare outcome.11
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