title: Determination of mesiodistal width of maxillary anterior teeth using inner canthal distance.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Selection of appropriately sized maxillary anterior teeth is one of the important aspects of complete denture prosthodontics. In the past several methods have been proposed, but little consensus on an effective method for anterior teeth selection has been reached. Inner canthal distance is one of the reliable anatomic dimension that may provide a valid approach to anterior teeth selection. This study was aimed to ascertain the co-relation between inner canthal distance (ICD) and combined mesiodistal width of maxillary anterior teeth.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was conducted in Army Dental Centre (R & R) Delhi Cantonment between Aug 2006 to Mar 2008. Eight hundred dentate Indian subjects of four different ethnic group; Such as Rajputs, Marathas, Sikh and Tamilian. 100 males and 100 females from each race under the age group of 18-30 years formed the subjects of study. The ICD and mesio-distal width of maxillary anteriors were measured using Digital Vernier Caliper. The Data obtained was statistically analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A consistent ratio of 1.61 was found between ICD and combined mesiodistal width of maxillary anteriors in all four ethnic group. The mean value showed no statistically significant difference between sex. The variation in the ratio between the ethnic groups was negligible.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of the study indicated that, to select the combined mesiodistal width of maxillary anterior teeth, ICD of the required patient should be multiplied by 1.61. This ratio was consistent with all the four ethnic groups irrespective of sex.
authors: Assistant Professor (Prosthodontics), Dept of Dental Surgery, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune 411040, India.
authors: K V
authors: KV
authors: Arun Kumar
authors: Commandant, Army Dental Centre (R&R), Delhi Cant, New Delhi 110010, India.
authors: S H
authors: SH
authors: Gupta
authors: DDGDS (P) O/o DGDS, Adjutant General's Branch, IHQ, MoD, L Block, New Delhi 110001, India.
authors: H S
authors: HS
authors: Sandhu
keywords: Complete denture; Digital vernier caliper; Inner canthal distance; Maxillary anterior teeth