IADR Abstract Archives
Compensatory Interactions Between Developing Teeth: an Analysis of Tooth Size and Number
Objectives: Crown morphology is influenced by interactions between genetic, epigenetic and environmental factors in the Complex Adaptive System of dental development. The aim of this study is to investigate whether final tooth size in permanent maxillary central incisors and canines compensates for missing or microdont lateral incisors.
Methods: A 2D image analysis system was used to measure the labiopalatal width from the incisal view (LPi), crown height from the labial view (CHl) and mesiodistal widths from both labial (MDl) and incisal (MDi) views of the permanent maxillary central incisors and canines in twins enrolled in a longitudinal study of dental development in Adelaide. Individuals with at least one missing or microdont permanent maxillary lateral incisor were classified as being ‘affected’, whereas those with normal lateral incisors were used as controls. Two-way analysis of variance was conducted to investigate whether there were significant effects between the size of the central incisors and canines with lateral incisor status (affected and control) in the four parameters.
Results: There were significant effects of tooth type on all four parameters (p<0.001), and of lateral incisor status on LPi (p<0.05) and CHl (p<0.01). The two adjacnet teeth were significantly smaller in individuals with missing and microdont lasteral incisors compared with the control group (6.37% and 5.84% respectively).
Conclusions: The finding of diminished crown size in permanent maxillary central incisors and canines adjacent to missing or microdont lateral incisors shows that developmental anomalies of lateral incisors influence the morphogenesis of the adjacent teeth. Further studies with larger sample sizes are recommended to show the nature and extent of compensatory interactions.
Methods: A 2D image analysis system was used to measure the labiopalatal width from the incisal view (LPi), crown height from the labial view (CHl) and mesiodistal widths from both labial (MDl) and incisal (MDi) views of the permanent maxillary central incisors and canines in twins enrolled in a longitudinal study of dental development in Adelaide. Individuals with at least one missing or microdont permanent maxillary lateral incisor were classified as being ‘affected’, whereas those with normal lateral incisors were used as controls. Two-way analysis of variance was conducted to investigate whether there were significant effects between the size of the central incisors and canines with lateral incisor status (affected and control) in the four parameters.
Results: There were significant effects of tooth type on all four parameters (p<0.001), and of lateral incisor status on LPi (p<0.05) and CHl (p<0.01). The two adjacnet teeth were significantly smaller in individuals with missing and microdont lasteral incisors compared with the control group (6.37% and 5.84% respectively).
Conclusions: The finding of diminished crown size in permanent maxillary central incisors and canines adjacent to missing or microdont lateral incisors shows that developmental anomalies of lateral incisors influence the morphogenesis of the adjacent teeth. Further studies with larger sample sizes are recommended to show the nature and extent of compensatory interactions.