Bilateral symmetry of anterior maxillary incisors: evaluation of a community-based population

The final outcome of dental treatment needs to be not only clinically sufficient, but also esthetically pleasing. Bilateral symmetry in the maxillary incisor teeth is of significant importance in esthetic dentistry. In restorative dentistry, symmetry refers to the appearance of balance around the dental midline. The purpose of this study was to measure and compare the maxillary incisor teeth dimensions from both sides of the dental midline, in order to asses if this symmetry occurs naturally. From the student community population at Tel Aviv University, 66 students between the ages of 20-35 (35 males, 31 females) were enrolled and gave consent. The inclusion criteria for this study were: upper maxillary incisors that have never undergone restorative or rehabilitative treatment, and no history of orthodontic treatment. Standardized digital photographs were taken, and the length and width of the maxillary central and lateral incisors were measured and proportions were calculated. SPSS was used to compare the measured differences between teeth on the left versus right of the midline. Tooth proportions were not significantly different between the left and right sides. Asymmetry was found only between the lengths of the maxillary lateral incisors (p=0.009); the width for these teeth was symmetrical. A significant statistical difference was not found on most parameters when evaluating symmetry of the upper incisors. Therefore, when treating the esthetically important anterior of the mouth, care must be taken to ensure bilateral symmetry to mirror the natural symmetry found in most patients.