Analysis of maxillary anterior teeth in a young population

Methods: We have used a young population of 100 dental students (age 19 to 24), enrolled in the School of Dentistry in Cluj-Napoca. The sex distribution was 60% females - 40% males, and 3 different ethnicities: the majority (80%) Romanians, 10% French origin and 10% from Tunis.

The digital photographs were taken under standardized conditions using the digital Canon 450D camera with a 100 mm macro lens. On the photographs, we have determines whether the golden proportion exists, so ideally the perceived width of each anterior tooth is approximately 62% the size of its mesial adjacent tooth. We should have 1 the central incisor (CI), 0,618%  for the lateral incisor (LI). We have applied one sample,2 samples and ANOVA statistical tests.

Results: The size of anterior teeth was measured on gypsum casts, using a digital caliper. The CI ranged between 3.9 mm to 9 mm, the LI 2.3 till 7.5 mm and the C 4 till 9 mm. There was a higher range distribution in males with 1 mm on average above the female group, in both CI and LI. There was a gender correlation, more important in C and CI, but not statistically significant and also a left - right asymmetry.

Conclusion: We have not found the golden proportion nor the recurrent esthetic proportion (RED). There was no significant correlation between sex, age and ethnic group. The maxillary CI and C have a greater size in men than in women.