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Three-dimensional analyses of the mandible and the occlusal architecture of mandibular dentition

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international journal of stomatology & occlusion medicine

Abstract

Introduction

The position and inclination of the long axis of teeth in the human dentition can be described by a set of rules. The purpose of this study was to analyze the architecture of the mandibular dentition of adult Caucasians using virtual three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of skulls and mandibles.

Method

In this study 40 skulls from the Weissbach collection at the Vienna Natural History Museum were scanned using cone beam computed tomography. Several angular and linear measurements obtained from the reconstructed images were analyzed.

Results

The inclination of second premolars and first molars was nearest to vertical and mesial inclination became progressively greater for molars. The angular relationship between the tooth long axis and the closing axis of lower incisors ranged from 95 to 98°, while the tooth axis of buccal teeth with the contralateral condyle sequentially increased from canines to third molars. The architecture of occlusion showed that the Bonwill triangle was equilateral with a length of approximately 100 mm (about 4 inches) on one side, the Balkwill angle was approximately 25° and there was a distance of approximately 38 mm between the condyle and occlusal plane (DPO). The angle of the condylar axis inclined to correlate to the 3D structure of the mandible.

Conclusions

This study defines the 3D architecture of occlusion including tooth axis, condyle and shape of the mandible. The results make it possible to consider new aspects of the biomechanics of 3D reconstruction of occlusion.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that there is no actual or potential conflict of interest in relation to this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Universidad de Valparaiso, Valparaiso, Chile

    Cristian Basili

  2. Danube University, Krems, Austria

    Rudolf Slavicek

  3. Department of Craniofacial Growth and Development Dentistry, Division of Orthodontics, Research Institute of Occlusion Medicine, Research Center of Brain and Oral Science, Kanagawa Dental College, 82 Inaoka-cho, 238-8580, Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan

    Hiroshi Fukoe, Cristian Basili, Sadao Sato M.D. & Susumu Akimoto

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  1. Hiroshi Fukoe
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  2. Cristian Basili
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  3. Rudolf Slavicek
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  4. Sadao Sato M.D.
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  5. Susumu Akimoto
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Correspondence to Cristian Basili.

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Fukoe, H., Basili, C., Slavicek, R. et al. Three-dimensional analyses of the mandible and the occlusal architecture of mandibular dentition. J. Stomat. Occ. Med. 5, 119–129 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12548-012-0053-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12548-012-0053-8

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