Comparative study of palatal rugae pattern in class II div 1 and class I individuals.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if the palatal rugae have a characteristic pattern in untreated class II div 1 malocclusions compared to normal class I occlusions, and to provide a valuable insight whether palatal rugae can be taken up as additional criteria for classifying malocclusions.


METHODS
The study was conducted on initial maxillary dental casts of 24 individuals with untreated class II div 1 malocclusion with an overjet of minimum of 5mm, of whom 12 were females and 12 were males, with age ranging from 16 to 24 years and compared with Class I patients casts.


RESULTS
There was no statistically significant difference in the mean intermolar widths of the two groups. The first, second and third palatal rugae were shorter in class II div 1 patients than in class I patients which was statistically significant. All the patients with Angle's class I occlusion had good pattern of palatal rugae falling in the score range of 1-3, whereas 22% of the patients with class II div 1 had poor pattern of palatal rugae, with score 4 and 2 patients exhibiting a score of 4 and 5, respectively, but this was not statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
There was a significant constriction of the palatal rugae in class II div 1 individuals as compared to class I individuals, though they were matched for the same intermolar widths. There was a distinct pattern of palatal rugae between the two groups.
Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Panineeya Mahavidyalaya institute of Dental Sciences and Research Centre, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Chandrasekhar
C
Gandikota
Yudhister Palla
YP
Venkata
Padmalatha
P
Challa
Shubhaker Rao
SR
Juvvadi
Anirudh
A
Mathur