Does labial movement of lower incisors influence the level of the gingival margin? A case–control study of adult orthodontic patients

Abstracts on this page have been chosen and edited by Dr Trevor Watts

Abstract

Recession was not significantly greater in adult patients who had received this treatment than in a matched group of controls.

Main

Allais D, Melsen B Eur J Orthod 2003; 25: 343–352

Lower incisor position is an important consideration in orthodontic treatment, but there is disagreement over whether it is possible to cause gingival recession by proclination. In this study, records were compared of 150 patients who had been treated with labial movement of lower incisors and 150 control patients awaiting orthodontic treatment. Dental casts and projected slides were used to assess recession.

The two groups were matched for age (mean of each group was 34 yrs) and gender, and independent variables were found to be similar. Slides were more readable than casts, and using the former, 35% of the test group had recession on at least one tooth, compared with 17% of the controls (P <0.05). However, the mean recession of all lower incisors was 0.36 mm in the test group and 0.22 in controls (NS). The authors did not consider the difference to have any clinical significance.