ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the space discrepancy of the mandibular dentition and craniofacial morphology in adults with good Angle class I occlusion. Dental casts of normal group, crowded group and spaced group were selected on the basis of dental crowding and spacing. Subjects with excessive space to accomodate the lower teeth were classified as spaced group(39). Subjects with a space discrepancy of more than 4mm were classified as crowded group(45). Normal subjects had little or no dental crowding and spacing(40). Various skeletodental measurements in lateral cephalograms were evaluated and compared by ANOVA, Pearson correlation analysis and multiple stepwise regression analysis. The results were as follows : 1. ANB angle was larger in crowded group than in spaced group. 2. Maxilla and mandible in crowded group were inclined more downward and forward than in spaced group, so crowded group was found to have vertical tendency. 3. Anterior cranial base length and mandibular body length were longer in spaced group than in crowded group. 4. According to the multiple stepwise regression analysis with space discrepancy as dependent variable, 40% of variance of space discrepancy could be explained by ANB angle, anterior facial height and ramus height. Multiple regression equation was as follows Space discrepancy=46.51-2.51ANB-0.58AFH+0.65RH