Is there a relationship between maxillary canine impaction and ocular asymmetry.

Impacted maxillary canines may be in close proximity with related structures, such as the nasal cavity, orbital cavity, and maxillary sinus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of unilateral maxillary canine impaction on ocular asymmetry. The null hypotheses were as follows: (1) there is no difference in the ocular location between the subjects with impacted canines and the control group; (2) there is no difference in the ocular location between the two sides of subjects with impacted canine. A total of 50 subjects with unilateral palatally impacted maxillary canines were selected as the study group, and 49 subjects without any impacted teeth were selected as controls. Ocular asymmetry was evaluated on standardized frontal photographs of the subjects in both groups, and the results were statistically compared. Unilateral impaction of maxillary canines did not have a statistically significant effect on the vertical ocular location, nor did maxillary canine impaction affect the horizontal ocular location on either side of the face within the impacted canine group. There was a statistically significant difference in the horizontal ocular location between the impacted canine group and the control group. Gender differences did not have an effect on the ocular location in either of the study groups. Both hypotheses were accepted. A relationship between the impacted maxillary canine and ocular asymmetry could not be demonstrated.