Three-dimensional analysis of posterior tooth inclinations in transverse and sagittal relationships: A cross-sectional study

Objective

To compare tooth inclinations in different sagittal skeletal patterns and transverse maxillary relationships three-dimensionally.

Methods

A cross-sectional study carried out with 132 three-dimensional digital models in the complete permanent dentition divided into six groups (n = 22); three groups with maxillary atresia: G1- skeletal class I, G2- skeletal class II and G3-skeletal class III; three groups without maxillary atresia: G4- skeletal class I; G5- skeletal class II and G6- skeletal class III. The comparison between the skeletal pattern was performed by the non-parametric tests of Kruskal Wallis and Dunn and between the groups by the non-parametric test of Mann Whitney.

Results

Subjects with skeletal class II and maxillary atresia had a greater lingual inclination of the maxillary teeth than those with class I and III; Subjects with skeletal class II without atresia had a less lingual inclination of the mandibular molars than the other classes (p < 0.05). The maxillary premolars showed no variation in dental inclination with atresia, independent of the skeletal class in G1, G2, and G3 (p > 0.05). The mandibular premolars showed that the groups without atresia G4, G5, and G6 presented no significant difference (p > 0.05). Lower premolars in skeletal class III malocclusion individuals with atresia had a more negative inclination than the others.

Conclusion

There is a difference in the inclination of posterior teeth between individuals with and without maxillary atresia and skeletal classes I, II, and III.