Craniofacial growth patterns in patients with congenitally missing permanent teeth

Aim of this study was to investigate any correlations between the congenital absence of certain permanent teeth and individual craniofacial growth patterns.

The lateral cephalograms of n = 101 patients (65 female und 36 male) with various congenitally missing teeth were analyzed according to Hasund [11] prior to orthodontic treatment. Cephalometric data to determine the craniofacial growth pattern comprised GntgoAr, NSBa, ML-NSL, NL-NSL, MLNL angles and the index between upper and lower facial heights. Correlations between the type of missing teeth and growth pattern were examined. Group distribution was A = all patients with missing teeth (n = 101), P = missing second premolars (n = 49), S = missing upper lateral incisors (n = 30), X = various missing teeth (n = 22). We included a control group for each of these groups using data from Riolo et al.'s [22] growth study.

Group A revealed an even distribution with n = 32 patients (31.7%) having a vertical growth pattern, n = 37 patients (36.6%) a neutral growth pattern, and n = 32 patients (31.7%) a horizontal growth pattern. The majority of patients (n = 20, 40.8%) in group P exhibited a horizontal growth pattern, whereas there were no significant correlations between the kind of congenitally missing teeth and growth patterns in groups S and X. Comparison of the mean values of groups P, S and X, revealed no significant differences. When comparing the control group to groups A, P and S, we noted significantly or highly significantly smaller gonial and basal plane angles. No significant differences were apparent concerning group X.

This examination demonstrates no statistically-relevant correlation between craniofacial growth pattern and the congenital absence of certain permanent teeth, although horizontal growth is more frequent (but not significant) in patients with congenitally missing second premolars.