Tridimensional Analysis of Incisive Canal and Upper Central Incisor Approximation

The present study aimed to estimate the location of the incisive canal (IC) concerning the upper central incisor roots (U1) in order to explore the amount of incisor retraction as per the envelope of discrepancy amongst Chinese patients with different vertical facial growth patterns.

This is a cross-sectional study that used a total of 207 pretreatment cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans of adults with a skeletal class I relationship. Sixty-nine cases were included in each of the normodivergent, hypodivergent, and hyperdivergent facial groups. The IC volume was measured using Mimics 21 software. The IC width and IC-U1 proximity were measured using in vivo 6 software. Linear measurements were conducted at 3 vertical levels.

The IC has shown a larger volume in the hyperdivergent group and male patients. Overall, the IC has recorded linear width greater than the inter-root distance of U1 in 59.1%, 66%, and 68.8% amongst the normodivergent, hypodivergent, and hyperdivergent facial groups, respectively, and in 58.3% of males and 70.8% of females. The overall sagittal distances between the U1 and IC were 4.00 ± 0.82 mm, 4.60 ± 0.83 mm, and 3.60 ± 0.80 mm amongst the normodivergent, hypodivergent, and hyperdivergent facial groups, respectively.

The maximum sagittal distances between U1 and IC were 4.8 mm, 5.4 mm, and 4.4 mm amongst the normodivergent, hypodivergent, and hyperdivergent facial groups, respectively. Thereby, our findings have revised the retraction aspect of the envelope of discrepancy as per the different vertical facial growth patterns, which could serve a reference for the clinical practice involved considerable incisors movement, especially among Chinese patients.