title: The CR-CO discrepancy and its effect on cephalometric measurements.
abstract: The purpose of the present study was to compare cephalometric measurements derived from a centric occlusion (CO) tracing with those of a converted centric relation (CR) tracing. The sample consisted of 68 consecutively treated patients, with a CR-CO discrepancy of 2 mm or greater in either the horizontal and/or vertical planes, measured at the condyles from mounted models. Comparisons were also made within the sample between the 39 females and 29 males; and the 35 skeletal Class I and 33 Class II patients. In analyzing the CR-CO discrepancy, the vertical component was greater than the horizontal in 96% of the sample. Every patient had a vertical component, although 10% had no horizontal component. Correlations between the horizontal discrepancy and the two tracings showed high values for approximately 50% of the measures, whereas little correlation was found with the vertical discrepancy. Paired t tests used to compare the CO and CR cephalometric values demonstrated significant differences (p < 0.05) for the majority of the values studied. However, there generally were no differences between the groups of males and females, or between the skeletal Class I and Class II individuals. The results of this study suggest that to make a correct orthodontic diagnosis the mandible should be placed in centric relation rather than in the more traditional centric occlusion.
authors.affiliation: Division of Graduate Orthodontics, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shildkraut
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: W S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Hunter
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016302:Centric Relation; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D003768:Dental Occlusion, Centric; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007574:Jaw Relation Record / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000175:diagnosis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results