Influence of mandibular incisor agenesis and growth pattern on symphysis characteristics: a retrospective cephalometric study.

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to investigate the effects of mandibular incisor (MnI) agenesis and divergent malocclusion type on mandibular symphysis inclination and morphology.

METHODS: A total of 162 selected patients were divided into two groups: one group consisted of patients with one or two congenitally missing MnIs, and another group comprised patients without tooth agenesis. Patients in each group were categorized into three divergent malocclusion groups (hypodivergent, normodivergent and hyperdivergent) according to the Frankfort mandibular plane angle, with 27 patients per group. Lateral cephalograms were used to evaluate mandibular symphysis inclination and morphology. Two-way analysis of variance, simple main effect analysis, and Tukey's test were used for statistical comparisons.

RESULTS: The agenesis group demonstrated a significantly greater retroclination of the mandibular symphysis than the non-agenesis group in the normodivergent group. In the hypodivergent and normodivergent groups, the agenesis group showed a significantly smaller area of the alveolar bone with thinner width and shorter height than the non-agenesis group.

CONCLUSION: For the Japanese orthodontic patients, MnI agenesis caused a significantly great retroclination of the mandibular symphysis in patients with normodivergent malocclusion and significantly small area of the alveolar bone with thin width and short height in patients with hypo- and normodivergent malocclusions.