Reliability Study of the Bolton Analysis using Dental Models from Cases Passed by the American Board of Orthodontics Clinical Examination

Research Article

J Dent & Oral Disord. 2017; 3(1): 1053.

Reliability Study of the Bolton Analysis using Dental Models from Cases Passed by the American Board of Orthodontics Clinical Examination

Alamir G, Tsay TP and Manasse RJ*

Department of Orthodontics, College of Dentistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, USA

*Corresponding author: Robert J Manasse, Department of Orthodontics, College of Dentistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, USA

Received: January 20, 2017; Accepted: March 06, 2017; Published: March 13, 2017

Abstract

Background: In treatment planning the correction of malocclusions, a challenge is of tooth size discrepancy to predict the fit of the maxillary and mandibular arches to be proportionate to accomplish an excellent occlusion. Bolton’s tooth analysis has been a gold standard. In this study, the Bolton ratios were analyzed on dental models that have passed the rigorous testing of the American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) in their clinical examination for diplomate status. Along with this, a second objective was to determine the correlation between the Bolton ratios and overjet, overbite, anterior teeth inclination, interincisal angle and upper tooth thickness.

Methods: The sample size was 94 sets of dental models along with their cephalometric radiographs that had passed the ABO clinical examination. The sets of models (n=52) that were Class I full permanent dentitions were measured from 6-6 for the overall ratio while the sets of models (n=94) were measured for the anterior ratio along with their overjet, overbite and upper anterior teeth thickness. Measurements of the cephalometric radiographs recorded were interincisal angle, upper and lower incisor inclinations as U1-SN, U1-NA, L1-MP and L1-NB.