Proximal contact areas of the maxillary anterior dentition

The goal of this study was to quantify the apicoincisal extent of the proximal contact area (PCA) between the eight maxillary anterior teeth. A total of 140 PCA sites and 160 crown lengths were measured in 20 healthy patients. The percentage ratio of PCA to clinical crown length was computed and defined as the proximal contact area proportion (PCAP). Mean PCA dimensions between central incisors (CI/CI), central and lateral incisors (CI/LI), lateral incisors and canines (LI/CA), and canines and first premolars (CA/PM) were 4.2, 2.9, 2.0, and 1.5 mm, respectively. Mesial mean PCAPs were 41%, 32%, 20%, and 18%, respectively. The paired sample t test demonstrated significant differences between all PCAs (P < .0001), except for CA/PM sites (P = .24). Contact areas, not contact points, were observed between neighboring maxillary anterior teeth. Natural PCAPs emerged as well defined in the maxillary anterior dentition bilaterally. Therefore, PCAPs should be taken into consideration for clinical anterior restorations since they determine the papillary and incisal embrasures.