COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF MAXILLARY AND MANDIBULAR ANTERIOR TEETH WIDTH WITH THE LENGTH OF INDEX AND LITTLE FINGER IN NORTH INDIAN POPULATION

Sabzar Abdullah and Pranshu Varshney*, Masood H. Khan and Dr. Afzal Ahmad

ABSTRACT

The various factors such as size, colour, morphology and arrangement of the anterior teeth play a very important role in achieving satisfactory aesthetics in complete denture. Various ways by which we can select the size of the anterior teeth are inter-alar distance, inter-canthal distance, bi-zygomatic width, intercanine width. But there is no reliable method for selection of anterior teeth. To evaluate and compare the width of the maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth with the length of the index and little fingers, total of 100 people were taken for this study. They are grouped into four, Group I, 15–20 years; Group II, 20–30 years; Group III, 30–40 years; Group IV, 40–50 years. Irreversible hydrocolloid impressions of the maxillary and mandibular arch were made and poured with dental stone. The widths of the maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth were measured with an adaptable ruler. The length of the index and little fingers were measured using a vernier caliper. There is significant correlation between the maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth with the index and little finger length. Conclusion: The maxillary anterior teeth width can be calculated with the formula (1.131 × index finger length - 11.969), mandibular anterior teeth width can be calculated with the formula (1.005 × little finger length - 2.228).

Keywords: Anterior teeth width; Index finger; Little finger.