Abstract

PRIMO, Bruno Tochetto; ANDRADE, Miguel Gustavo Setúbal; OLIVEIRA, Helena Willhelm de  and  OLIVEIRA, Marília Gerhardt de. Impacted teeth: new diagnostic perspectives. RFO UPF [online]. 2011, vol.16, n.1, pp. 95-99. ISSN 1413-4012.

Conventional radiographs are easy to obtain and provide useful information in the diagnosis of impacted teeth. However, because radiography produces bidimensional images, with superposition of anatomical structures, surgical planning becomes more difficult. The use of computed tomography has become widely accepted because it allows to identify small maxillofacial anatomical structures that are relevant for surgical interventions, as well as their spatial relationships, in three dimensions. Objective and report of cases: Report cases of two patients who presented with impacted teeth in the anterior region of the maxilla and were assessed with computed tomography. The specificities of this modern diagnostic imaging method are discussed, as well as the clinical advantages associated with the use of tridimensional images, such as the possibilities to obtain the precise location of impacted teeth, to assess distances from the cortical surface, and to identify the presence of anatomical accidents or other teeth. Final considerations: The Computed tomography showed to be an extremely important and precise supplementary examination for the diagnosis of impacted teeth, as well as for surgical planning and postoperative follow-up.

Keywords : Tooth Unerupted.; Surgery.; Tomography.; Diagnostic Imaging.; Oral Surgery..