DIAGNOSIS OF THE ALVEOLAR BONE CONDITION IN CASES OF TEETH WITH ANTERIOR CROSS BITE

Anterior cross bite is an occlusal etiological factor for the occurrence of gingival recession and resorption of the alveolar bone. Aim: To examine the condition of the alveolar bone in relation to incisor inclination in subjects with anterior cross bite. Materials and methods: Sixty one eligible subjects, with a mean age of 25.66±10.51 years, presented with anterior cross bite of a single teeth or a group of teeth. The distribution of patients by sex is women-42.6% and men-57.4%. The inclination of the upper and lower incisors was evaluated and analysed with Steiner C method. The bone resorption in the two jaws (distance from the enamel-cement junction of the incisors up to the beginning of the alveolar bone) was measured up to 0.01 mm. Results: Protrusions constituted a higher percentage than retrusion in both jaws. The mean value of bone resorption in the maxilla of subjects with retrusion was 4.01mm, whereas in subjects with protrusion, it was 3.42mm (p = 0.062). The mean value of bone resorption in the mandible of subjects with retrusion was 4.56mm, whereas in subjects with protrusion, it was 4.36mm. The bone resorption mean of the patients with retrusion in the mandible was 0.55mm higher than the mean of the patients with retrusion in the maxilla with high statistical significance (p = 0.008). Conclusion: Higher levels of bone resorption were observed in the mandible as compared to the maxilla. A significant linear relationship was found between the inclination of the incisors and the degree of bone resorption.