Comparison of arch forms between Korean and North American white populations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate morphologic differences in the mandibular arches of Korean and North American white subjects. The subjects were grouped according to arch form (tapered, ovoid, and square) to compare the frequency distribution of the 3 arch forms between the ethnic groups in each Angle classification. The sample included 160 white (60 Class I, 50 Class II, and 50 Class III) and 368 Korean (114 Class I, 119 Class II, and 135 Class III) subjects. The most facial portion of 13 proximal contact areas was digitized from photocopied images of the mandibular dental arches. Clinical bracket points were calculated for each tooth according to mandibular tooth thickness data, and then 4 linear and 2 proportional measurements were taken. Arch width was statistically significantly smaller in the white group than in the Korean group, but arch depth did not differ. In the Korean group, the most frequent arch form was square, whereas in the white group the tapered arch form predominated. When the subjects were regrouped by arch form, the Korean arches had a tendency to be larger and deeper than the white arches within each of the 3 arch form types.