A comparison of arch widths in adults with normal occlusion and adults with class II, Division 1 malocclusion

This study compares arch widths and other cast and cephalometric measurements of 36 normal-occlusion subjects (19 males, 17 females) with 39 Class II, Division 1 subjects (20 males, 19 females). None of the subjects had received orthodontic treatment. Analysis of variance demonstrated that subjects with normal occlusion had larger maxillary molar widths, maxillary canine widths, and maxillary alveolar widths than subjects with malocclusion; only male subjects with normal occlusion had larger mandibular molar widths and mandibular alveolar widths than the malocclusion subjects; the normal occlusion and malocclusion groups had similar mandibular canine widths; and when the lower molar and alveolar widths were subtracted from corresponding upper widths, the remainders of the Class II group were negative instead of positive, contrary to the normal group. This revealed a posterior crossbite tendency in the Class II group.