A comparative study of tooth and dental arch dimensions in Jewish children of different ethnic descent. I. Kurds and Yemenites.

Dental casts of 99 Kurdish and 98 Yemenite Jewish children evenly distributed between the sexes, aged 12 years, were measured for mesiodistal and buccolingual tooth dimensions, and arch depth and width. Dental dimensions showed significant differences between the two groups in certain permanent teeth in mesiodistal length, while in the buccolingual diameter the differences did not reach statistical significance. Dental arch form in Kurdish children was more rounded due to significantly bigger arch width, while arch depth was not significantly different from Yemenites. Intragroup sex differences were found in both groups with reference to arch dimensions, while in the dental parameters they were more strongly expressed in Kurdish children.