Current ideas on the management of palatally displaced canines

An adolescent presenting with a palatally displaced canine (PDC) is a fairly common occurrence. The condition is expensive to treat as it involves surgical exposure (usually under general anaesthesia) followed by lengthy fixed orthodontic treatment at an average of two to three years. In the majority of cases alignment is successful. However if orthodontic alignment is unsuccessful and the tooth has to be surgically removed this can leave a large bony defect, which will be difficult to restore with a bridge or implant. This article aims to give an overview of current principles and problems in the management of PDC.