RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: Canine impaction is a difficult condition to treat, and it usually necessitates a combination of surgical exposure and orthodontic traction or surgical extraction. An accurate assessment of the maxillary canine's position can help determine the severity of the impaction, the difficulty of therapy, and the treatment's prognosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 55 impacted canines were studied and selected retrospectively. Difficulty indexes were used to measure the severity of impaction with pretreatment panoramic radiographs. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Pearson correlation was used to test the validity of the difficulty index modification score. Regression statistical analysis was used to evaluate any correlation between total scoring from each index with surgical treatment. RESULTS: The validity test on the variable modification index score showed a valid value (p = 0.000). According to both treatment difficulty and modification index, odontectomy group showed higher mean of total scoring than surgical exposure group. Treatment difficulty and modification index showed a significant correlation with surgical treatment (p = 0.003 and p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The higher the severity of canine impaction, the greater is the possibility of odontectomy than surgical exposure. Both indexes can consider to be used in determining surgical treatment planning.