Cephalometric parameters affecting severity of anterior open bite

Abstract

One hundred and four patients with anterior open bite (AOB) were subdivided by statistical means into three distinctly separate groups with AOB of different severity based on the extent of separation of the incisors in the vertical plane. Cephalometric evaluation of all subjects was completed using 24 skeletal and 12 dentoalveolar measurements, and the results were compared between the mild, moderate and severe groups of AOB. The findings suggest that the palatal plane, mandibular occlusal plane, upper anterior dental height and upper posterior dental height correlate significantly with the severity of AOB. In contrast, skeletal jaw relationship in the horizontal plane correlated only weakly with severity. This study further highlighted the steep mandibular occlusal plane as an important indicator of AOB severity in contrast to the maxillary occlusal plane.