3D technology to measure dental arches and create a template for lingual brackets technique

OBJECTIVE: This study aims at identifying anatomical dimensions of dental arches, based on landmarks currently used in the lingual orthodontic technique, and create an archwire form template to be used in orthodontic clinics. METHODS: Maxillary and mandibular dental casts of 140 Caucasian individuals with natural and normal occlusion were digitized (3D), and the images were analyzed with Delcam Power Shape(TM) 2010 software. The dental arch shapes and sizes were obtained from 14 landmarks selected on the lingual surface of the teeth. Points and segments defined by the software were used to create an archwire form template. RESULTS: Various dental arch patterns were found for both maxilla and mandible. The smallest sizes were found in females, and the largest were found in male subjects. Six categories were defined for each gender, three for the maxilla and three for the mandible (Small, Medium and Large). A template was created with eighteen anatomic lingual archwire designs, nine for the maxilla and nine for the mandible, for both genders. CONCLUSIONS: Landmarks evaluated in this study showed dental arch differences between genders. This information enables making orthodontic lingual archwires that are more compatible with the anatomical forms and sizes of the maxilla and mandible. The findings also allowed the creation of a template for an anatomic lingual metallic archwire form to be used in the lingual technique.