Bolton discrepancy among patients with anterior open bite malocclusion

Abstract

IntroductionSeveral investigators studied Bolton's discrepancy in relation to different types of malocclusions, but no studies were found investigating Bolton's discrepancy in open bite cases. The aim of the present study was mainly to determine tooth size discrepancy in a sample of orthodontic patients with open bite malocclusion and to test any correlation between open bite and anterior, posterior, and overall ratios. MethodEighty-four study models of patients with open bite (42 females and 42 males) and 33 study models of ideal occlusion as control (18 females and 15 males) were selected. The mesiodistal width of upper and lower teeth, excluding second and third molars, was measured using a digital calliper, and the anterior, posterior, and overall ratios were calculated. ResultsThe anterior, posterior, and overall ratios for the open bite Saudi sample was 77.14 (SD 3.27), 104.5 (SD 4.80), and 90.46 (SD 3.90), respectively. The Student's t test showed no significant difference between the open bite and control groups in all ratios. The Pearson correlation coefficient showed no significant correlations between open bite and anterior ratio, total ratio, and posterior ratio. ConclusionEven though the anterior, posterior, and overall ratios are not significantly different from control or Bolton's ratios, open bite cases require a close evaluation of tooth size discrepancy in all anterior, posterior, and total ratios to achieve ideal occlusion.