Vertical Dimension of Occlusion: A comparative study between Anthropometric and Knebelman's craniometric methods / Dimensión vertical oclusal: un estudio comparativo entre el método antropométrico y el método craneométrico de Knebelman

ABSTRACT The masticatory system changes as time passes. The vertical dimension of occlusion (VDO) undergoes alterations due to temporomandibular joint disorders which in turn may be caused by related muscle modifications or pathological tooth wear. There are many methods to measure VDO. Among these, the anthropometric method and Knebelman's craniometric method have been shown to be the most closely related to facial biotype. The aim of this study was to compare data recorded with those two methods. A descriptive cross-sectional study was performed with a total 200 patients. A vernier caliper was used to measure facial landmarks. Results were analyzed using paired t-test, setting the level of significance at p<0.05. There was no significant difference between the two methods but Knebelman's method had less variability. Results suggest that Knebelman's method should provide more reliability for determining VDO in all the facial biotypes studied.

RESUMEN El sistema masticatorio cambia con el paso del tiempo. La dimensión vertical oclusal sufre alteraciones que se atribuyen a trastornos temporomandibulares a su vez causados por modificaciones en la musculatura relacionada o al desgaste patológico de las piezas dentarias. Existen muchos métodos para medir la dimensión vertical, entre los cuales el método antropométrico y el método craneométrico de Knebelman mostraron ser los más vinculados con el biotipo facial. El objetivo de este estudio fue comparar datos registrados con ambos métodos. La comparación fue realizada mediante un estudio de diseño transversal descriptivo con un total de 200 pacientes, usando un calibrador vernier para realizar mediciones entre puntos faciales establecidos. Los resultados fueron analizados por medio de la prueba de t de Student para datos emparejados estableciendo el nivel de significación en P<0,05. No se encontró diferencia significativa entre los métodos, pero el método de Knebelman mostró generar menos variabilidad en sus medidas. Este último método parece proporcionar más confiabilidad para su aplicación en la determinación de la dimensión vertical oclusal en todos los biotipos faciales estudiados.

Need for orthodontic treatment in a sample of Ecuadorian adolescents from Cojitambo, 2017

Aim: To determine the need for orthodontic treatment in Ecuadorian adolescents aged 13 to 18 years in Cojitambo, 2017. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional and descriptive study was made including 140 adolescents aged 13 to 18 years, 50% males. For determining the prevalence of malocclusion, a visual clinical examination was performed to obtain the data required using the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI). Results: 37.14% of the adolescents presented a minor malocclusion (without the need for treatment), 20% a definitivemalocclusion (need for elective treatment), 30% a severe malocclusion (highly desirable treatment) and 12.86% a very severe malocclusion (mandatory treatment). No statistically significant differences were found by sex (p =0.53) or by age (p =0.05). Conclusion: There is a higher prevalence of adolescents who had a normal occlusion without the need of orthodontic treatment and the ones with the lowest prevalence were adolescents with very severe malocclusion that needed compulsory treatment, without differences by sex or age