Geometric morphometric analysis of the palatal morphology in children with impacted incisors: A three-dimensional evaluation

Objective: To analyze variations in palatal morphology in subjects presenting unilaterally impacted maxillary permanent central incisors compared with a control group of subjects without eruption anomalies using a three-dimensional (3D) analysis. Materials and Methods: Twenty-six white subjects (10 girls and 16 boys; mean age 9.5+/-1.5 years) with unilaterally impacted maxillary permanent central incisors (impacted incisor group [IIG]) were compared with a control group (CG) of 26 subjects (14 girls and 12 boys, mean age 8.7+/-1.6 years) presenting no eruption disorders. For each subject, dental casts were taken and the upper arch was scanned using a 3D laser scanner. To study the entirety of the shape of the palate in any point of the surface, 3D geometric morphometrics was applied. Results: Subjects with impacted maxillary incisors showed skeletal adaptations of the maxilla. In the IIG, both the superior palatal region and lateral palatal surface showed significantly different morphology when compared with CG, with a narrower and higher palatal vault. Conclusion: The absence of maxillary central incisors over the physiological age of eruption influenced the development of the palatal morphology compared with subjects without eruption anomalies.