Assessment of maxillary incisors' angulation and position in different types of malocclusions using cone-beam computed tomography

Abstract

Background: This study is aimed to assess the maxillary incisors' root position, angulation, and buccal alveolar bone thickness in both genders and different classes of malocclusion using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Materials and Methods: Two hundred and six CBCT images were gathered and analyzed by three-dimensional On-Demand software to measure the variables of 803 maxillary central and lateral incisors. Genders and class difference was determined by unpaired t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Chi-square tests. Results: Buccal root position of the maxillary incisors accounted for in the majority of the cases followed by the middle and palatal positions. The thickness of alveolar bone appears to have nearly the same pattern of decreasing in the mean values above the level of 2 mm from the crest of the bone up to the 6 mm level then increase in the apex of the root. The angle between the long axis of the maxillary incisors and the corresponding alveolar bone is higher significantly in class II followed by class I and III with no significant gender difference. Conclusions: most of the maxillary incisors examined were located in a very close position to the buccal cortical plate and covered by a thin buccal bone wall. The apparent association was noted between the incisors' root position and angulation in the alveolar bone with the buccal bone thickness.

Keywords

• cone-beam computed tomography
• maxillary incisor root
• orthodontics