Facial indicator in the determination of maxillary central incisor length in Nepalese population – A clinical study

Abstract

Background: The maxillary anterior teeth are important in achieving pleasing facial and dental esthetics. Among those, the central incisor has a key role in determining the esthetic as they are the most dominant and visible teeth during smile. Determining the proper size of these teeth is important but difficult in the absence of pre extraction records in edentulous condition. Aims and Objectives: This study was conducted to find a suitable guide in determining the length of the central incisor by correlating it with some independent facial structure like nose length in a small population of Chitwan district. Materials and Methods: The distance from the bridge of the nose to the base was compared to the length of the maxillary central incisor in 321 patients of both sexes between the age groups of 20–35 years. The actual length of the maxillary incisor was measured and also calculated by regression analysis to determine some fixed ratio. The calculated value by this ratio was compared to the actual measured value to find if the difference was significant. Results: The difference between the calculated distances and the actual measured distance was found to be 0.340 in males and 0.266 in females, which was statistically significant (P<0.001). Conclusion: The distance from the bridge of the nose to base of the nose may be used as a reference to estimate the length of the central incisor in the Nepalese population, although sample included subjects from the central Chitwan District of Nepal.