title: Tooth morphology in function of selfprotective mechanism.
abstract: The degree of curvature of vestibular and oral tooth surfaces is determined by the shape sequence from the tooth crown to the epithelial attachment and the alveolar bone, and directly influences the health of gingiva and the entire tooth support system. The goal of this research was to determine vestibulo-oral planes of upper and lower permanent premolars and molars and the thickness of the associated alveolar osseous wall, and 2,727 measurings were processed using pertinent statistical procedures. The results have shown the degree of curvature of vestibular and oral tooth surfaces to be higher in upper teeth than in lower ones (p > 0.05); vestibular convexities higher than oral ones and especially noticeable at the junction from the meandle to the lower third of the crown. Higher vestibular curvature also entailed thicker osseous wall. All results were higher than the ones found in literature. We consider our results to be relevant for our population. The research on the relationship of teeth and the alveolar bone should be continued by using even more test points and more sophisticated research procedures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental Anthropology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Keros
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ciglar
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kobler
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ivosević
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D001641:Bicuspid / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008963:Molar / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology