Investigation of maxillary tooth sizes in patients with palatal canine displacement.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this retrospective trial was to investigate differences in mesiodistal and vestibulo-oral crown sizes of naturally, fully-erupted permanent maxillary teeth between patients with and without palatal canine displacement.


METHODS
115 patients (mean age: 14 years 10 months; females: 77 males: 38) treated in the Department of Orthodontics, University of Munich were included in the study. 65 of the patients showed at least one palatally-displaced canine. Diagnosis and the location of the displacement were determined on the basis of standardized radiographs and confirmed by surgical documentation. Each maxillary tooth's mesiodistal and vestibulo-oral width was measured using a dial caliper on each dental cast. Excluded were partially-erupted teeth and surfaces with caries or restorations that had to be measured. An analysis of available space was made by evaluating the pre-treatment dental casts of all patients included in the study.


RESULTS
Comparing the tooth widths of patients with unilateral canine displacement with the corresponding contralateral quadrants, we noted a statistically significant difference, namely that the central and lateral incisors and the canines of the affected side were narrower than those of the non-affected side in the same patient. Moreover, the displaced upper canines showed an increase in vestibulo-oral dimension. Overall tooth width (including all tooth groups) in patients with palatally-displaced canines was significantly less than that in the control group. However, when comparing the crown diameters of unilaterally- and bilaterally-affected patients, no differences in tooth-size were observed. The space-analysis showed excessive dental-arch space in patients with a palatally-displaced canine.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients affected by palatal canine displacement showed significantly smaller maxillary tooth size.
Paschos
Ekaterini
E
Department of Orthodontics, University of Munich, Goethestrasse 70, 80336 Munich, Germany. kpaschos@dent.med.uni-muenchen.de
Huth
Karin Christine
KC
Fässler
Hannelore
H
Rudzki-Janson
Ingrid
I
D000293:Adolescent; D003481:Cuspid / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D009929:Organ Size; D010159:Palate / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D011859:Radiography; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014070:Tooth / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D014071:Tooth Abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D014079:Tooth Eruption, Ectopic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology