Buccal corridor changes in orthodontically treated extraction and non-extraction Class 1 patients

Abstract

BACKGROUND : Patients seek orthodontic treatment mainly to improve their facial aesthetics and obtain an acceptable smile. It is purported that orthodontic extraction treatment may result in narrow buccal corridors which in turn may lead to unaesthetic smile AIM : To determine if the dimensions of the buccal corridors are influenced by extraction or non-extraction treatment in Class 1 patients DESIGN : Retrospective record-based study conducted between 2012 and 2017 at University of Pretoria Orthodontic department MATERIALS AND METHOD : Smile pictures of pre- and post-treatment Class 1 patients treated with or without premolar extractions were matched. Buccal corridors between the two groups were measured by measurement of visible maxillary dentition and oral aperture dimensions. Data analysis included frequencies and correlations using chi-square test, with a significance level set at p<0.05. RESULTS : Seventy-one patient records met the selection criteria with the majority being females (70%). The age range was between 10 and 37 with a mean of 17.5 years. Thirty-five patients were treated with extractions and thirty-six patients with non-extraction treatment. There was a significant difference in the visible maxillary dentition pre and post treatment with extraction patients showing a 6 to 6 and non-extraction showing 5 to 5 dentition post treatment (p<0.05). There were no differences in the ratios of the visible maxillary dentition and oral aperture in both groups pre and post treatment (p> 0.05 CONCLUSION : Orthodontic treatment of Class 1 cases with premolar extraction did not lead to deleterious changes in the buccal corridors.