Abstract
Background: Palatal rugae (PR) routinely used for forensic identification of individuals, have limited use in orthodontics as a stable reference for cast superimpositions. PR shape gets established early in intra-uterine life and remains stable thereafter, thus its correlation with different occlusal relations may aid in early interception and prevention of malocclusions. Aims: Identification of characteristic features of PR in different classes of malocclusion (Angle’s Class I, II and III) and to explore its potential as an adjunctive aid for categorizing malocclusions. Objective: To explore the potential of PR as an adjunctive aid for categorizing malocclusions. Materials and methods: PR in pre-treatment study casts of 66 patients (age 12-26 years) demonstrating Class I (type1 and type2), Class II div1, Class II div2 and Class III malocclusions were traced. The number, pattern, orientation and strength of rugae both on left and right side of mid-palatal raphe were determined and statistically analysed with non-parametric Kruskal Wallis test for different categories of malocclusions. Results: Class II div2 patients showed largest number of primary, secondary and fragmentary rugae, although it was not statistically significant. PR in all malocclusions showed a predominantly curvy pattern but in Class I and Class III patients on left side, forking-diverging type was mainly seen. Horizontal orientation of PR was characteristically absent in Class II div1 patients. Strength of rugae became strong to weak from first to third primary rugae. Conclusion: This pilot study provides evidence of a distinct pattern of PR in Class I and Class III patients and largest number in Class II div2 cases but to ascertain its statistical significance, further research may be conducted with a larger sample size.
Highlights
Transverse palatine folds or palatal rugae (PR), are asymmetrical and irregular elevations of the mucosa in the anterior third of the palate arranged in a transverse direction on each side of the medial palatal raphae and behind the incisive papilla (IP), located in the mid-sagittal plane [1,2]
Irrespective of gender, the sample was classified into 4 groups based on Angle’s classification of malocclusion: Class I comprising of Class I type1 and type2 (N=24); Class II div1 (N=20); Class II div 2 (N=10); Class III (N=12)
The average number of rugae taking into account primary, secondary and fragmentary rugaeis greatest in Class II div2 but almost similar in rest of the classifications
Summary
Transverse palatine folds or palatal rugae (PR), are asymmetrical and irregular elevations of the mucosa in the anterior third of the palate arranged in a transverse direction on each side of the medial palatal raphae and behind the incisive papilla (IP), located in the mid-sagittal plane [1,2]. The orientation pattern is formed by about 12th to 14th week of prenatal life and remains stable until the oral mucosa degenerates after death [4,5]. Ample evidence in literature supports stability in shape of PR, increase in size of anterior part of the palate in early years of life may bring about change in length of PR [7,8]. A more or less continuous and small increase in distances between medial borders of paired rugae have been reported along with a backward extension of posterior boundary of PR in relation to teeth until 20 years of age [10]. PR shape gets established early in intra-uterine life and remains stable thereafter, its correlation with different occlusal relations may aid in early interception and prevention of malocclusions
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