CORRELATION BETWEEN MOLARS ANGULATION, OVERBITE AND VERTICAL SKELETAL PATTERN

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine the correlation between molars angulation, overbite and vertical skeletal pattern. METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from June to August 2019. Pretreatment records (lateral cephalograms and dental models) of 81 individuals were selected from the database of the Orthodontics Department. Overbite was measured from dental casts with a ruler and the values were recorded in both millimeter readings and percentages. Angulation of molars and the vertical skeletal pattern was evaluated from the lateral cephalograms. Correlation among molars angulation, overbite and vertical skeletal pattern was measured with the help of Pearson’s correlation. RESULTS: Out of 81 patients, 39 (48.1%) were males and 42 (51.9%) were females. Mean age of patients was 17+3 years. Mean angular measurements for upper 2nd molar angulation, upper 1st molar angulation, lower 2nd molar angulation and lower 1st molar angulation were 79.77±7.324, 82.38±5.967, 86.94±6.837, 82.38±6.638 degrees respectively. Mean linear measurements for posterior facial height (PFH), lower anterior facial height (LAFH), Jaraback’s Ratio (PFH/AFH), lower anterior facial height percentage (LAFH/PFH) were 74.70±7.410, 62±6.4502, 66.63±5.769, 55.24±3.6272 and 3.414±2.1727 respectively. A positive, significant correlation was found between angulation of lower 2nd molars and overbite. Correlation between angulation of lower molars, PFH and Jaraback,s ratio was positive and significant. Similar relationship was also determined between upper molars and vertical skeletal pattern. CONCLUSION: Angulation of upper and lower molars changed according to vertical skeletal pattern of an individual. Angulation of lower molars also changed with the overbite. Such a correlation was not found between upper molars and overbite.

Keywords

• overbite
• cephalometry
• molar angulation
• posterior discrepancy