Factors influencing dental arch form

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Orthodontics
• Biometrics

Background:

• Dental arch form is influenced by several factors, including arch length, intermolar distance, and canine and incisor dimensions.
• Limited research exists on the specific determinants of these dental arch components.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the factors that determine dental arch form using statistical analysis.
• To classify maxillary and mandibular dental arch forms based on key measurements.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of dental casts using principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis.
• PCA reduced 23 variables to three components for the maxilla and four for the mandible.
• Cluster analysis categorized dental arches into four distinct forms for both maxilla and mandible.

Main Results:

• Dental arch length is significantly influenced by bilateral interincisor distance and mesiodistal crown width of incisors and premolars.
• Mandibular arch length is also affected by canine width.
• Dental arch width influences overall arch form, but anterior and molar distances are independent.

Conclusions:

• Specific tooth dimensions, particularly incisor, premolar, and canine widths, are critical determinants of dental arch length and form.
• The classification into four distinct arch forms provides a framework for understanding dental arch variations.
• Interdental distances in anterior and posterior regions do not independently affect each other's contribution to arch form.