Anterior tooth display in patients referred to the Faculty of Dentistry,Tehran University of Medical Sciences

Central incisors are important in achieving facial aesthetics and correct phonetics. This study evaluated the amount of incisal edge exposure (IEE) of upper and lower central incisors (UCIs, LCIs) with the lips in resting position, and its correlation with patients’ age and sex. The present investigation was also designed to assess practical methods for clinical evaluation of patients. One-hundred twenty patients between 20-49 years were included in this study. None of the participants had gingival recession, periodontal/gingival diseases, traumatized lips, tooth mobility/extrusion or prostheses replacing anterior teeth. Age, sex and occlusal and molar relationships (Angle’s classification) were recorded. IEE, Incisogingival length (IgL) of the UCIs and LCIs and lip length (LL) in resting position were measured for each patient using a metal ruler. IEE, IgL and LL were analyzed according to sex and age by t-test. Fischer’s exact test was used to verify the relation between IEE and Ig with LL. The mean averages of IEE and IgL of the UCIs and LCIs were larger in men than women; however the difference was not significant in LCIs. The mean average of LL was 24.07mm and 21.2mm in males and females, respectively. IEE decreased in the UCIs and increased in the LCIs with advancing age, but this difference was not significant in the LCIs. The following formula was calculated according to the obtained data: IEE-Right-Upper = 5.29 – 0.16 LL IEE-Left-Upper = 5.18 - 0.159 LL These findings can be used as a diagnostic aid for selecting appropriate IEEs allowing maximum dentofacial aesthetics.