Treatment Planning for Tooth Size Discrepancy Utilizing A Graphical Template

Treatment Planning for  Tooth Size Discrepancy Utilizing A Graphical Template 

H. Hopkins, EP Hicks, C Beeman

Objectives: Production of computer generated graphs which allow a clinician to plot the mesio-distal crown width of specific teeth in comparison to collected averages which are both race and gender specific.  This allows precise identification of problem teeth leading to a tooth size discrepancy. 

Methods: Graphical template created using Microsoft excel program.  The mean mesio-distal width of each tooth is plotted on the graphs in a race and gender specific manner.  Templates have been created for both genders for Caucasians, African Americans, and Hispanic Americans.  A patient's mesio-distal widths from first molar to first molar in both arches can be plotted on this template; allowing for diagnosis of a tooth size discrepancy.  Formulas have been programmed that calculate the exact millimeter amount of the patient's discrepancy. 

Results: By plotting this information in a race and gender specific manner treatment plans can be customized appropriately for patients of different ethnicities.  Traditionally a Bolton ratio is preformed to diagnose a tooth size discrepancy.  This ratio only identifies which arch is at fault, not which teeth. 

Conclusion:  Plotting patient crown dimensions on these graphs will allow the clinician to visualize how the crown dimensions of individual teeth compare to the average in a race and gender specific manner. This can be useful when planning cosmetic restorations, implants, and during orthodontic treatment.