Ethnic differences in the root to crown ratios of the permanent dentition

Root resorption due to orthodontic tooth movement may adversely affect the root-crown (R/C) ratios of permanent teeth, especially in patients with Short Root Anomaly (SRA), a poorly understood disorder affecting root development. Evaluation of SRA R/C ratios to normal dentition would facilitate diagnosis and orthodontic treatment planning. However, reference values are not available for all ethnicities. Our goal was to determine R/C ratios of permanent teeth and their relationship to gender and ethnicity.

A retrospective study of 333 patients (109 Caucasians, 112 African Americans and 112 Hispanics) from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry.

Root lengths and crown heights were measured from panoramic radiographs of 6241 teeth using modified Lind's method. A linear mixed model was used to compare the R/C ratios of teeth among subgroups (gender, ethnicity).

The mean R/C ratios varied from 1.80 to 2.21 for the maxillary teeth and 1.83-2.49 for the mandibular teeth. Gender differences in R/C ratios were found to be significant only for the lower central incisors (P < 0.05). Hispanics showed significantly lower ratios for most teeth compared to the other two groups (P < 0.05). There were significant differences in R/C ratios between African Americans and Caucasians in the upper lateral incisors, lower central incisors and lower first premolars (P < 0.05).

Our results suggest that ethnicity is an important factor in determining the R/C ratios of permanent teeth. Therefore, when diagnosing developmental conditions such as SRA, ethnic group-specific reference values should be considered.