title: Evaluation of maxillary arch morphology in children with unilaterally impacted incisors via three-dimensional analysis of digital dental casts: a controlled study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this work was to analyze variations in maxillary arch dimensions in subjects presenting unilaterally impacted maxillary permanent central incisors compared with a control group of subjects without eruption anomalies.
  
  
  METHODS
  A group of 23 Caucasian children [8 females and 15 males, mean age 9.7 years, standard deviation (SD) 1.6 years] displaying unilaterally impacted maxillary permanent central incisors (impacted incisor group: IIG) were compared with a control group (CG) of 23 subjects (9 females; 14 males, mean age 8.8 years, SD 1.9 years) presenting no eruption disorders. Pretreatment dental casts were taken from each subject and the upper arch was scanned using a three-dimensional scanner. Linear measurements were taken on each digital model to analyze maxillary arch dimensions. Significant between-group differences were tested with the Student's t test (p < 0.05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The transverse and sagittal upper-arch measurements were significantly smaller in the IIG than in the CG. In particular, the anterior arch was 1.35 mm shorter in the IIG, while intercanine width was decreased by 2.51 mm on the impacted side.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children revealing unilaterally impacted maxillary central incisors demonstrated a significantly constricted maxillary transverse width and shorter arch on the impacted side compared with subjects with no eruption disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Rome, Italy.|Department of Dentistry, UNSBC, Tirana, Albania.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pavoni
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, University of Florence, Florence, Italy. lorenzo.franchi@unifi.it.|Department of Surgery and Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via del Ponte di Mezzo, 46-48, 50127, Florence, Italy. lorenzo.franchi@unifi.it.
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Franchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Buongiorno
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Rome, Italy.|Department of Dentistry, UNSBC, Tirana, Albania.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cozza
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003724:Dental Arch / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D003735:Dental Casting Technique; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D007180:Incisor / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D009811:Odontometry / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014095:Tooth, Impacted / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Digital dental casts; Impacted incisor; Maxillary morphology; Mixed dentition; Pediatric dentistry