Direct Versus Indirect Measurement of Height of The Interproximal Contact Area in Maxillary Anterior Teeth
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51253/pafmj.v76iSUPPL-6.13822Keywords:
Anterior Teeth, Dental Casts, Interproximal Contact Area, Intraoral MeasurementAbstract
Objective: To compare interproximal contact area (ICA) height measurements obtained intraorally with those recorded on dental casts, in order to assess their accuracy and reliability.
Study Design: Cross-sectional comparative study.
Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Prosthodontics, Armed Forces Institute of Dentistry Rawalpindi, Pakistan from Dec 2024 to May 2025.
Methodology: A total of 90 participants with intact maxillary anterior teeth were included. ICA heights were measured intraorally using a digital caliper and compared with corresponding measurements taken on stone casts derived from alginate impressions. ICA was recorded between central incisors (CI–CI), central and lateral incisors (CI–LI), lateral incisors and canines (LI–C), and canines and first premolars (C–FP). Data was analyzed using paired t-tests, with p<0.05 considered statistically significant.
Results: Mean ICA heights were consistently greater on dental casts than intraorally. The highest values were noted between central incisors (4.79 ± 0.63 mm on casts vs. 4.42 ± 0.90 mm intraorally; p = 0.003). Similar significant discrepancies were found at CI–LI, LI–C, and C–FP sites (all p<0.001). Intraorally, the greatest ICA was at the CI–CI site, whereas the lowest was between the canine and first premolar on the right side.
Conclusion: Dental casts tend to overestimate ICA height compared to intraoral measurements. Intraoral assessments should be prioritized for accurate clinical evaluation.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Madiha Shahbaz, Col Saad Khan, Asifa Abbas, Ayesha Iftikhar, Surriya Sherazi, Seema Khattak
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