Quantitative description of overjet and overbite and their relationship with the craniofacial morphology.
OBJECTIVE
1) To define the sagittal and vertical characteristics of anterior teeth in adults with normal occlusions; 2) to explore a relationship between the overbite and overjet; and 3) to relate overbite and overjet to the skeletal pattern.


METHODS
Prospective data collection.


METHODS
Ninety-two adult dental students from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (49 females and 43 males) with naturally occurring Class I occlusions. EXPERIMENTAL VARIABLE AND OUTCOME MEASURES: Cephalometric data were collected for overbite, overjet, and skeletal relationships. These were then correlated for potential association between front teeth and vertical and horizontal skeletal relationships.


RESULTS
The overjet measures were equally distributed among men and women, but overbite was higher in women. Facial proportions were also bigger in men, but the Mediterranean face was bigger than Northern American Caucasian. The mandibular plane angle could be associated with either increased or decreased overjet and overbite.


CONCLUSIONS
The overbite and overjet features of an occlusion cannot be predictably associated with any particular craniofacial pattern.
Ioannidou
I
I
Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
Gianniou
E
E
Koutsikou
T
T
Kolokithas
G
G
D000328:Adult; D002508:Cephalometry; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000254:growth & development; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007574:Jaw Relation Record; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008445:Maxillofacial Development; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014716:Vertical Dimension