Relationship of Functional-Occlusal Plane to Camper’s Line In Edentulous Patients

Method: Neutral zone moldings using phonation and autopolymeryzing acrylic resin were recorded and leveled with the lateral borders of the tongue. Lateral cephalometric radiographs were taken for each subject by the standard method. Tracings were obtained on acetate paper to show the prosthetic OP and the three ala-tragus lines. The relationship between the prosthetic OP and each of the ATLs was measured for each subject. Mean and standard deviation values were then calculated & statistical analysis was performed using repeated measure analysis of variance followed by Bonferroni pairwise comparisons (α=0.05).

Result: Significant difference was found between ATL1 and the other two angles (P= 0.001). However, ATL2 and ATL3 were not significantly different (P= 1.00). The mean angle value for ATL1, ATL2 and ATL3 are 9.35 ± 599, 5.00 ± 4.38 and 4.90 ± 3.50, respectively.

Conclusion: Ala-tragus lines extending from the inferior border of the ala of the nose to 1) the tip of the tragus of the ear, and 2) the inferior border of the tragus presented the closest relationship to the prosthetic occlusal plane corresponding to the lateral borders of the tongue.