Proximal Contact Areas of the Maxillary Anterior Dentition
Abstract
The goal of this study was to quantify the apical-incisal extent of the proximal-contact- area-[PCA] between the maxillary eight anterior-teeth. A total of 140 PCA sites and 160 crown- lengths-[CL] in 20 healthy patients were measured. Percentage-ratio of PCA to clinical crown- length was computed and defined as ‘proximal-contact-area-proportion-[PCAP]’. Mean PCA dimensions between central-incisors[CI/CI], central-incisors and lateral-incisors[CI/LI], lateral- incisors and canines[LI/CA], canines and first premolars[CA/PM] were 4.2mm, 2.9mm, 2mm, and 1.5mm, respectively. Mesial PCAPs were 41%[CI/CI], 32%[CI/LI], 20%[LI/CA], and 18%[CA/PM], respectively. The paired-samples t-test demonstrated significant differences between all proximal-contact-areas(p<0.0001), except for canine versus premolar sites[CA/PM](p=0.24). Contact-areas, not contact-points were observed between neighboring maxillary-anterior-teeth. Natural proximal-contact-area-proportions emerged as well defined in the maxillary-anterior-dentition bilaterally. Therefore, PCAPs should be taken in consideration for clinical anterior restorations since they determine the papilla and incisal embrasures.