title: Simulation model for dental arch shapes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop a simulation model for dental arch shapes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analysis of measurements of dental casts to determine a general second degree equation for the dental arches.
  
  
  METHODS
  Department of Human Anatomy and School of Computing and Informatics, University of Nairobi.
  
  
  METHODS
  The measurement of dental casts, 30 (15M and 15F) each from three Kenyan ethnic groups (Maasai, Kalenjin, Kikuyu), aged 12 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The arches change their shapes from a parabola to an ellipse, governed by the boundary conditions at the position of the canine tooth, based on the general second degree equation for the conic sections.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The simulation model graphically confirms the change from parabolic to elliptic shapes of dental arches with boundary conditions at the canine. This could be used to show the changes in dental arches for other ethnic groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics, School of Computing and Informatics, University of Nairobi, PO Box 30197, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Pokhariyal
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Moturi
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hassanali
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kinyanjui
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003724:Dental Arch / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D003735:Dental Casting Technique; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya; D008297:Male; D008953:Models, Anatomic