A study of model and cephalograms in elderly persons

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the occlusal status and maxillofacial morphology in elderly Japanese with many remaining teeth. The subjects were 23 elderly Japanese over 70 years of age (16 males and 7 females; mean age, 76.0 years) who had more than 20 teeth (mean number, 24.3) other than third molars, including all six incisors, and who still had adequate vertical dimension. All of the subjects underwent intraoral examinations, during which radiographs and impressions were taken. The mean overbite and mean overjet of the subjects were 2.4 mm and 3.4 mm, respectively. Maxillary protrusion was seen in two males(8.7% of the subjects), and mandibular protrusion was seen in one female (4.3% of the subjects). Anterior crowding was seen in 9 (39.1%) of the subjects (only lower crowding in 5 subjects and both upper and lower crowding in 4 subjects). Spaced arches were seen in 3 (13.0%) of the subjects (only upper in 2 subjects and only lower in 1 subject). Most of the subjects had either Angle class I or class n canine and molar relationships. Maxillofacial morphology was within the normal range with a slight tendency toward maxillary protrusion associated with a posterioinferiorly positioned mandible. The upper incisors in the male subjects were mildly retroclined, while the lower incisors in the female subjects were proclined. The results of this study suggest that maintenance of acceptable degrees of overbite and overjet in Angle class n people in this study by dental compensations is possible and that elderly Japanese with more than 20 teeth have relatively good occlusal and maxillofacial forms.