Correlation between mandibular incisor crown morphologic index and postretention stability.

INTRODUCTION

Considering postretention stability as a result of successful orthodontic treatment, we aimed to verify the influence of mandibular-incisor-crown morphology in the relapse of mandibular anterior crowding.

METHODS

The sample comprised 56 white subjects of both sexes with Class I and Class II malocclusions at pretreatment, treated with extraction of 4 first premolars and edgewise mechanics. No patient underwent interproximal stripping during or after treatment. Mean pretreatment age was 13.23 years. Mean treatment time was 2.11 years, and mean posttreatment evaluation time was 5.12 years. Mandibular anterior crowding was measured with the Little irregularity index, and the mesiodistal and buccolingual proportion of the mandibular incisor crowns was measured with the Peck and Peck index. The measurements were obtained from dental casts at the pretreatment, posttreatment, and postretention stages. The Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated to determine the correlation between mandibular-incisor-crown morphology and the amount of postretention-crowding relapse.

RESULTS

The mandibular-incisor-crown morphologic index was not significantly correlated with the amount of mandibular-anterior-crowding relapse.

CONCLUSIONS

Mandibular-incisor-crown morphology is not correlated with the amount of mandibular-anterior-crowding relapse.