The real site of anterior TSD in Iraqi orthodontic sample

الملخص EN

Background : Anterior tooth size discrepancy (TDS) considered as the main reason that interferes with getting a stable occlusion after finishing an orthodontic case.

The aim of the study is to determine the real cause of anterior intermaxillary TSD in Iraqi orthodontic patients and its proper way of management.

Materials and methods: 144 dental cast sets of pre-treated orthodontic patients were selected carefully, the greatest mesio-distal width of the anterior teeth were measured by sharp end digital caliper to a nearest 0.1 mm, then the anterior Bolton ratio were taken and the sample was divided accordingly to 3 groups :normal anterior Bolton ratio, anterior mandibular excess and anterior maxillary excess, by using independent student's t-test comparison of mesiodistal width of each anterior tooth in normal anterior Bolton ratio group with each of other 2 groups separately.

Results : For the mandibular excess group smaller mesio-distal width of all upper anterior teeth and larger for the all lower anterior teeth can be seen in comparison to normal anterior Bolton group, however upper lateral and lower incisors associated with significant statistical differences, while for the maxillary excess group, larger mesio-distal width of all upper anterior teeth and smaller or comparable mesio-distal width of lower anterior teeth in comparison to normal anterior Bolton ratio group can be seen, however only upper incisors associated with significant statistical differences.

Conclusions : in anterior mandibular excess group, the main cause of anterior TSD was smaller upper lateral incisors or / and Larger lower incisors, while for anterior maxillary excess group, the main cause was wider upper incisors, this can be managed by stripping of over-sized teeth or / and placement of over-contoured restoration of under-sized teeth.