Abstract
Aims: To investigate alveolar bone dimensions in the anterior segment of maxilla and mandible in 2 age group samples; adolescents and adults. Materials and Methods: Cephalometric radiographs of 60 adolescent (30 males and 30 females) and 60 adult subjects (30 males and 30 females) with Class I normal occlusion were included in this study. The anterior alveolar segment was assessed using several parameters that measure the thickness (labial and lingual) and height of alveolar bone surrounding upper and lower incisors. Upper and lower incisor inclination and palatomandibular plane (PMP) angle were also measured. Independent samples t– test and Pearson correlation coefficient were used for data analysis. Results: Sexual dimorphism was noticed in labial and palatal alveolar bone thickness of maxilla for both adolescent and adult subjects. Adult males also demonstrated significantly higher values for lower alveolar height and symphysis width than females. The comparison between 2 age groups revealed no significant difference for most variables and the most evident finding was the significantly higher values reported for upper and lower alveolar heights and symphysis width in adult males compared to adolescent males. The results of correlation analysis showed that upper incisor inclination has positive correlation with upper labial alveolar width and negative correlation with palatal alveolar width indicating that thinner palatal bone thickness is associated with more proclined upper incisors. Labial alveolar bone thickness at apical level of maxilla and mandible showed negative correlation with upper and lower alveolar heights in both age groups and with PMP angle in adults only. While, symphysis width showed positive correlation with the width of lingual alveolar bone and with alveolar heights. Conclusions: No significant differences were found between the 2 age groups, however in both adolescents and adults anterior alveolar dimensions showed sexual dimorphism and correlations with other cephalometric parameters.
