Can palatal depth influence the buccolingual inclination of molars? A cone beam computed tomography-based retrospective evaluation.

Abstract

To interpret a correlation between buccolingual inclination of molars and palatal depth in hyperdivergent patients and to identify importance of determining inclination of molars in assessing transverse discrepancies (as skeletal or dental). This was a retrospective cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) study. The study was conducted in the Department of Orthodontics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospital, Tamil Nadu, India. This was a retrospective CBCT study of 79 patients who underwent diagnostic CBCT for treatment purposes. The CBCT scans were evaluated systematically and the required parameters were accessed with suitable reference planes. Student's t-test (95% confidence interval) was performed to determine buccolingual inclination of first molars between the right and left sides. Only patients with a vertical growth pattern and skeletal class I relation were included and they were classified into three groups based on their palate depth. In patients with palatal depth > 22 mm, the mean inclination of molars was 7.4°; with palatal depth in the range of 19-22 mm, the mean inclination of molars was 5.23°; and with palatal depth < 19 mm, the mean inclination of molars was 2.9°. Results showed that there was a significant correlation between the buccolingual inclination of molars and the palate depth in vertical growers (P < 0.05). The buccolingual inclination of first molars is increased in patients with greater palatal depth. This parameter is helpful in classifying crossbites as skeletal or dental. The amount of compensation required to correct the cross bite can be adjusted using Korkhaus Index.