Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 9, 2026
Precision of In Vivo Quantitative Tooth Wear Measurement Using Intra-Oral Scans
Published on: July 12, 2022
Assessment of the intercanine gingival zenith (or CEJ) distance as a method for determining occlusal vertical
Cristian Abad-Coronel1, Mariam Portocarrero Miranda2, Kelly Malla Bernal2
1Digital Dentistry and CAD/CAM Materials Research Group, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Cuenca, Cuenca, Ecuador. cristian.abad@ucuenca.edu.ec.
Objective:
The objective of this study was to evaluate the validity of the distance between the gingival zenith of the maxillary canine and the gingival zenith of the ipsilateral mandibular canine as a clinical method for determining occlusal vertical dimension in fully dentate individuals with skeletal Class I occlusion.
Results:
A cross-sectional clinical evaluation was conducted on 210 adult dental students with complete dentition, healthy periodontium, and bilateral molar Class I relationship. The mean intercanine distance was 16.7 mm on the right side and 16.9 mm on the left side, demonstrating strong bilateral symmetry (correlation coefficient = 0.859; p < 0.001). Male participants had significantly higher measurements than females, with mean differences of approximately 1.15 mm, while no significant differences were observed across age groups. The overall mean value of 16.8 mm supports the clinical validity of this biometric measurement as a stable and accessible anatomical reference for determining occlusal vertical dimension in similar populations.
