Background: The aim of the present study was to compare two different anchorage systems efficiency to disinclude impacted maxillary canines using as evaluation tool superimposed Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCTs).
Methods: The study has been conducted with two parallel groups with an allocation ratio of 1:1. Group test received treatment using as anchorage a miniscrew, control group was treated using an anchorage unit a trans palatal arch (TPA). Both groups received a calibrated traction force of 50 g. CBCT before treatment and 3 months after traction were superimposed and canine tip and root movement were evaluated in mm/month ratio.
Results: No differences were observed between groups for apex displacement, tip displacement and observation timespan. Twenty-two patients (12 female, 10 male, mean age:13.4 years) undergoing orthodontic treatment for impacted maxillary canines were recruited for this study. No differences were observed between groups for apex displacement, tip displacement and observation timespan.
Conclusions: The present pilot study provided no evidence that indirect anchorage on miniscrews could make canine disimpaction faster than anchorage on a TPA. An apex root movement of 0.4-0.8 mm per month was found, while average canine tip movement ranged between 1.08 mm and 1.96 mm per month. No miniscrews failures were observed.
Trial registration: The study reports the preliminary results of the randomized clinical trial registered at www.register.clinicaltrials.gov (registration number: NCT01717417 ).
Keywords: 3D imaging; Anchorage; Impacted canines.