The association between occlusal features and craniofacial structure

To investigate the relationship between craniofacial skeletal structure and occlusion. Data were obtained from lateral cephalometric radiographs and study casts of 60 patients with various malocclusions, with the mean age of 13.3±1.5 years. Thirteen angular and 14 linear skeletal measures as well as 5 occlusal measures including overjet, overbite, molar relation, maxillary and mandibular crowding were applied. Relations were examined by use of univariate and multivariate statistical methods. Simple correlation analysis between individual skeletal measures and individual occlusal characteristics showed that the strongest linear correlation exists between overbite and Pal-GoMe angle (r=-0.451, P-value≤0.01). Stepwise multiple regression was carried out for quantitative occlusal variables. The prediction formula for overjet had the highest multiple R and R2 values (multiple R=0.654, R2= 0.428), which shows that multiple skeletal features explained 43% of the variance in overjet. Individually and in combination, skeletal measures were poorly associated with individual features of occlusion, so that variations in skeletal structure account for at most 43% of the variations in occlusion.