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Intraosseous migration of impacted teeth across the midline to the opposite side of the jaw is a rare dental anomaly of unknown etiology. Transmigration of an impacted mandibular canine through the symphysis to the contralateral side of the arch has been documented. Transmigration of an impacted maxillary canine across the midpalatal suture to the opposite side of the maxilla has not been previously observed and is reported here for the first time.

Intrabony migration of impacted teeth is a rare dental anomaly, which occurs only in the permanent dentition of the lower jaw. The teeth involved in this phenomenon are the mandibular lateral incisor, canine, and second premolar. Migration of the lateral incisor is usually in a distal direction, resulting in transposition with the canine. Migration of the canine is most frequently in a mesial direction, resulting in transmigration across the mandibular symphysis to the opposite side of the dental arch. The second premolar most often migrates distally, sometimes past the gonial angle and as far as the coronoid process. Surgical and orthodontic treatment options are presented for the three intrabony migrating teeth.

Two cases are presented, each with both unerupted maxillary canines so badly positioned that eruption seemed unlikely. However, over a period of approximately three years, three out of the four initially displaced canines did erupt; the improvements in position being unrelated to whether or not the associated primary canine was extracted. Three out of four primary canines were removed. These cases highlight the difficulties in predicting canine eruption for individual patients.

Eruption disturbances of permanent molars may become clinically and radiographically manifest as impaction, primary retention or secondary retention. This may result in clinical problems such as malocclusion and loss of neighboring teeth due to caries and periodontal disease. Which of these disorders will develop, depends primarily on the eruptive stage. Factors that may interfere with the eruptive stages (i.e. follicular growth, pre-emergent eruptive spurt, postemergent eruptive spurt, juvenile occlusal equilibrium, circumpubertal occlusal eruptive spurt, adult occlusal equilibrium) and the clinical consequences of that interference are reviewed. Treatment recommendations are given.