COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF DENTAL INDICES: BULGARIAN AND SOME INTERNATIONAL POPULATIONS

Purpose. Dental indices are ratios between the absolute sizes of the teeth: mesiodistal, vestibulolingual, and height of the dental crown. They characterize the shape and size of the teeth, providing an option for measurements of rotated or compressed teeth. Тhis study aims to explore the degree of their population specificity between Bulgarian and other population. Material and Method. The study included 311 Bulgarians aged 20 – 40 years. Vestibulolingual and mesiodistal dimensions of teeth were measured. The crown module for maxillary teeth and the crown index for mandibular teeth were calculated. Results. We found that the crown module did not exhibit a statistically significant difference between Bulgarians and the other populations. However, the differences in the crown index of lower molars were statistically significant. Mean values in Bulgarians were higher, except for the Iranians, who showed greater mean values. Conclusion. Therefore, we think the crown index may contribute to differentiating Bulgarians from other populations. Specific dimensions for our population need to be defined.