Aetiology of Malocclusion Flashcards
what are the possible reasons that malocclusion has increased in incidence and severity over the past 200 years
this could be because of a number of reasons
○ Mixed gene pool?
○ High survival rate of young population?
§ May cause transmission of minor genetic abnormalities which in turn then causes greater facial variation
○ Decreased jaw function due to dietary refinement?
§ We have a more refined diet, we eat softer foods so therefore the size of our jaws and the strength of our masticatory muscles has reduced gradually over the generations
§ This can lead to a mismatch between the size of the jaws and the size of the teeth and therefore result in malocclusion
All of these general factors that occurred over a long period of time may have resulted in the increase in incidence of malocclusion in modern society
what are the general aetiological factors with regards to malocclusion
There are different tissue types we need to consider with regards to malocclusion
• Skeletal
○ Size, shape and relative positions of the upper and lower jaw
• Muscular
○ Form and function of the muscles that surround the teeth ie lips, cheeks and tongue
○ The muscles which act on the jaw bones
• Dentoalveolar
○ Size of the teeth in relation to the size of the jaws
what are the different components of the facial skeleton
- Maxillary base
- Mandibular base
- Maxillary and mandibular alveolar processes
- The maxillary complex is attached to the anterior cranial base while the mandible articulates with the posterior cranial base
what causes variation in the facial skeleton
- The size and shape of the maxilla, mandibular and alveolar processes and their relationship to each other in all three planes of space
- The size and angle of the cranial base ~ can vary and cause a difference in relation to the maxilla and the mandible
what does malocclusion result from
Malocclusion results from disharmony between the components of the facial skeleton
what happens if the width of the maxilla and mandible vary in relation to each other
If they vary in relation to each other could result in crossbites and asymmetry if the mandible is off to one side or the other
Or if the maxilla and the mandible have deviated to one side together during growth
what is the aetiology of skeletal variatiob
Genetic and environmental factors
- Familial studies show strong hereditary component to shade of face and jaws
- Certain features of malocclusion are hereditary eg class III
- If a patient presents complaining of a malocclusion very often one or both of their parents, or one of their siblings or some relative will also have malocclusion
- environmental factors
what environmental factors can cause skeletal variation
○ Masticatory muscles
§ These are strong, powerful muscles that act on the jaw bones during growth so it stands to reason that these can be influencial in the way that the jaws grow
○ Mouth breathing
§ Particularly can affect the way that our faces grow in the vertical dimension
§ Obstructed nasal breathing has been linked to some extent with vertical facial growth
○ Head posture
§ The more forwards and upwards that we carry our heads, the more likely we are to have an increased vertical dimension to the face
These environmental factors may work in a subtle way together and cause variation in facial growth, particularly in the vertical dimension
how should the causes of skeletal variations be considered
Consider aetiology of skeletal variation in the 3 planes of Spee
- Antero-posterior
- Vertical
- Transverse
how do we assess jaw relationship in the antero-posterior plane
We do this by visual inspection
But also by palpating the underlying hard tissues with the fingers like so
what is a class 1 antero-posterior relationship
- cranial base angle normal (around 130-135 degrees)
- maxilla and mandible of normal size and position
- class 1 occlusion
- normal profile (which is slightly convexed)
[the ‘A’ point would be slightly ahead of the ‘B’ point]
although class 1 AP relationship usually means that the teeth have erupted into a class 1 occlusion, what is the other alternative jaw relationship that may be the case in these patients
Jaws usually correctly sized but may have bi-maxillary protrusion or retrusion
Both jaws set back together or set forward together
what is lateral cephalometry
Standardised lateral radiographs of the face and base of skull
Taken from the side in profile
what does it mean that lateral cephalometry radiographs should be reporoducible
Reproducible - patient positioned in a cephalostat a set distance from the cone and the film (ie a set distance from the x-ray source)
what is cephalometry
Cephalometry is the analysis and interpretation of these radiographs
what methods should be included in the radiographic technique
• NHP
• ALARA ○ Aluminium soft tissue fitler ○ Thyroid collar ○ Triangular collimation ○ Rare earth screen ○ LANEX screen ○ Fastest film possible (60-70kV)
• Usual methods are applied to try and minimise the radiation dose whilst still getting an image of good diagnostic quality
how are radiographs analysed
• Hand traced onto paper
○ Old fashioned using a conventional radiographic film
○ Drew lines / angles and made measurements on a light box with a bit of tracing paper
• Digitised using a computer
○ More used now a days
○ Eliminates a certain amount of error that would have been associated with doing the measurements by hand
what is SNA
Relates maxilla to SN line (the anterior cranial base)
Average value 81˚ (+/- 3˚)
Ie this is the maxilla in its normal position
what is SNB
Relates mandible (B point) to SN line (anterior cranial base)
Average value 78˚(+/- 3˚)
what is ANB
Difference between the SNA and SNB angles gives you the ANB angle
This gives a measure of the relative position of the maxilla to the mandible in the antero-posterior plane
= Related mandible to maxilla
Average value 3˚ (+/- 2˚)
What is MxP/MnP
Then in the vertical dimension you are looking at MxP/MnP
The maxillary to mandibular plane angle
Gives a measure of how much the jaws diverge from each other vertically
what does SN stand for
sella to nasion
what is the normal inclination of the upper incisors
inclination of the upper incisors
(A line down the long axis relative to the maxillary plane compared to the angle of the upper incisors)
The normal is about 109˚
what is the inclination angle of the lower incisors
Inclination of lower incisors
Relative to the mandibular plane
Normally around 90-93˚
what is point A
Point A is the deepest concavity on the maxilla above the upper incisors
what is point B
Point B is the deepest concavity below the lower incisors on the mandible
what is class 1 occlusion
- Mesio-bucca cusp of upper 6 is occluding in the middle of the lower 6
- Upper canine occluding between the lower canine and lower 4
- Incisor relationship is class I