Reliability of clinical crown center to predict marginal ridge leveling.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the null hypothesis that there is no difference between the vertical compensation necessary to level the clinical crown centers and that required to level the marginal ridges. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Initial dental casts selected from 200 patients that met the selection criteria were included. The vertical position of the clinical crown center (VPCC) and marginal ridge (VPMR) of posterior teeth were measured in both arches using a digital height gauge with 0.01mm precision. The vertical discrepancy between the clinical crown centers (VDCC) and marginal ridges (VDMR) of adjacent posterior teeth were calculated and compared. The significance level was set at P < .05. RESULTS: In general, vertical discrepancies between VDCC and VDMR were statistically significant (P < .05). Clinically significant differences were observed between the maxillary second premolar and first molar and between the mandibular molars. The VPCC was significantly and positively correlated with patient age. CONCLUSIONS: Differences between VDCC and VDMR showed that the VPCC may not be an accurate predictor of marginal ridge leveling because the vertical compensation necessary to level the VPCCs is not similar to that required to level the marginal ridges, requiring caution in its utilization, mainly in teenagers.