Assessing anteroposterior basal bone discrepancy with the Dental Aesthetic Index.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate dental appearance and cephalometric features, using a sample of orthognathic and/or orthodontic patients. A special interest was to identify the relationship of the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI) with anteroposterior basal bone discrepancy (APBBD) and cephalometric indicators.


METHODS
A full sample of 159 patients in two Japanese hospitals was used. Each patient was assessed with a preorthodontic dental cast and cephalometric radiography.


RESULTS
Malocclusion with APBBD was more prevalent among high DAI subjects (P  =  .034, OR  =  1.04, 95% CI: 1.00-1.08), Class III malocclusion patients (P  =  .048, OR  =  2.32, 95% CI: 1.01-5.34) and male patients (P  =  .008, OR  =  2.96, 95% CI: 1.33-6.61). Participants scoring 88 points (the highest score in this sample) of the DAI had 16.84 times the risk of APBBD of those who scored 17 points (the lowest score in this sample). Patients with APBBD presented with a greater adjusted ANB angle (t  =  -8.10, P < .001) and a larger adjusted A-B/NF appraisal (t  =  -9.65, P < .001). The SNA angle (P < .001), the SNB angle (P  =  .002), the adjusted ANB angle (P  =  .001), and the adjusted A-B/NF appraisal (P  =  .035) were associated with DAI scores in cubic regression models.


CONCLUSIONS
This study has demonstrated a relationship between the DAI and APBBD. Feasibility of using the adjusted ANB angle and the adjusted A-B/NF appraisal to assess severity of APBBD has been confirmed. The DAI may provide a supportive method to evaluate orthognathic needs. Future investigations are indicated.
School of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia. boyen.huang@jcu.edu.au
Boyen
B
Huang
Katsu
K
Takahashi
Toru
T
Yamazaki
Kazuyuki
K
Saito
Masashi
M
Yamori
Keita
K
Asai
Yusuke
Y
Yoshikawa
Hiroshi
H
Kamioka
Takashi
T
Yamashiro
Kazuhisa
K
Bessho
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods; D004955:Esthetics, Dental; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D007569:Jaw Abnormalities / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D011859:Radiography; D012306:Risk; D012720:Severity of Illness Index