Variability in depth of curve of Spee and its associated skeletal and dental implications in population of Pakistan

Abstract

Background and Aim: The curve of Spee (COS) is a physiological entity in human dentition. A functional masticatory system necessitates an appropriate occlusal curvature. The primary objective of this investigation was to assess the skeletal and dental parameters in individuals with variation in the depth of curve of Spee. Materials and Methods: A total of 276 patients with pre-treatment lateral cephalograms and dental cast models were investigated in the Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics Unit of a Tertiary Care Hospital of Mardan, Pakistan from January 2021 to December 2022. Patients with no prior history of orthopedic treatment for functional jaw, prosthodontic treatment, no prior history of cleft lip and palate and cranio-facial disorders were enrolled. Ethical approval was obtained and all the patients were categorized into three groups based on the depth of curve of Spee (COS): Group-I (flat curvature < 2 mm), Group-II (normal curvature 2-3 mm), and Group-III (deep curvature > 3 mm). Lateral cephalometric analysiswas done to measure the four angular and four linear parameters. Molar relation, overbite, COS depth, and overjet were measured based on the occlusal classification. SPSS version 27 was used for data analysis.