%0 Journal Article
%T A retrospective analysis of the patient journey for children with an unerupted maxillary central incisor.
%A Hurry KJ
%A Bolooki H
%A Davies J
%A Chang C
%A Jauhar P
%J Int J Paediatr Dent
%V 34
%N 3
%D 2024 May 20
%M 37985600
%F 3.264
%R 10.1111/ipd.13134
%X <B>BACKGROUND: </B>Maxillary central incisors (MCI) are the third most impacted teeth. Timely multidisciplinary management is indicated as unerupted incisors can cause functional- and appearance-related distress.<BR><B>OBJECTIVE: </B>To assess the patient journey for children with unerupted MCI, including referral, clinical assessment, surgical management and follow-up treatment, and highlight areas for improvement, as well as identify factors impacting orthodontic treatment burden (OTB).<BR><B>METHODS: </B>A retrospective service evaluation of children aged 6-16 years who had surgical management of unerupted MCI under general anaesthetic (GA) between 2018 and 2021.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>Fifty-two children with 62 unerupted MCI were identified. Mean age at referral was 8.8 years. Most children (82.7%) had supernumerary teeth in the anterior maxilla. Mean time between listing for GA and surgery increased from 4.3 to 15.2 months following the COVID-19 lockdown. Mean age at surgery was 10.4 years. Supernumerary removal and incisor exposure and bond was the most common treatment (56.6%). Most patients required hospital orthodontic treatment post-surgery (65.4%).<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>Most children referred were below 9 years (60.1%); these children had reduced OTB compared to those who had been referred at an older age. Stage of root development was also a significant predictor in OTB. An unexpected finding was that conical supernumeraries were found to prevent MCI eruption.