Use of the centroid method of occlusion for studying the vertical and horizontal relationship of the mandible and maxilla.

The aim of the present study was to verify whether the centroid method of occlusion for studying mandibular and maxillary growth enables accurate determination of vertical occlusal patterns (open and deep bite). Lateral cephalograms were obtained of Japanese adult females aged over 18 years of age with a Class II malocclusion (61 open bite and 47 deep bite), or a Class III type open bite (70 subjects) or deep bite (21 subjects) malocclusion. One-way analysis of variance followed by a Bonferroni's t-test was used to compare the results among these four groups. The Deltaabc area, which comprised the palatal, Ar-Gn, and A-B planes, was shown to be significantly larger in the open bite than in the deep bite group for both Class II and Class III malocclusion types (P < 0.01). There was no difference in the Deltaabc area between the Class II and Class III open bite groups or between the Class II and Class III deep bite groups. These findings suggest that the centroid method of occlusion is a versatile diagnostic technique that can accurately differentiate between vertical occlusal patterns of Class II and III types of malocclusion limited to Japanese adult females. The analytical method is also unaffected by gnathostatic differences according to Angle classification.