DETERMINATION OF THE COMBINED WIDTH OF MAXILLARY ANTERIOR TEETH USING INNERCANTHAL DISTANCE WITH RESPECT TO AGE GENDER AND ETHINICITY

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between inner canthal distance and maxillary anterior teeth width withrespect to age, gender and ethnicity. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Altamash Institute of Dental Medicine, Karachi, from Aug 2019 to Jan 2020. Methodology: One hundred participants from both genders with full permanent dentition, no interdental space or pathology and facial symmetry were included in this study. The measurements were carried out with digital Vernier caliper. SPSS-25 was used for statistical analysis. Results: The mean ± SD of inner canthal distance and width of maxillary anterior teeth were 2.99cm ± 0.46and 3.82cm ± 0.35 respectively. A significant difference was found between gender (p=0.037) and inner canthaldistance. The maxillary anterior teeth width and inner canthal distance varies amongst different ethnicities(p=0.01). The inner canthal distance does not vary with advancing age (p=0.87) whereas width of maxillaryanterior teeth varies (p=0.04). A weak correlation value of 0.47 was found between inner canthal distance andmaxillary anterior teeth width. Conclusion: This research suggests that there is a weak relationship between inner canthal distance and maxillary anterior teeth width. Therefore, a multiplication ratio of 1.27 is advised to get combined mesiodistal width of maxillary anterior teeth. Additionally, the value of both differs in various local ethnicities. Inner canthal distance does not vary with age though has significant gender disparities while maxillary anterior teeth width remains constant.