Three-dimensional evaluations of the digital casts of morphologic maxillary teeth symmetry in patients with unilateral palatally displaced canines.

INTRODUCTION: The goal of this study was to compare the size and morphologic symmetry of the maxillary teeth in subjects with and without unilateral palatally displaced canines (PDCs). METHODS: Plaster casts of 38 subjects (mean age 14.75 +/- 0.95 y) with unilateral PDCs were selected (study group [SG]) and compared with casts from an age- and sex-matched control group (CG). Then dental casts of both groups were scanned into 3-dimensional (3D) models. Tooth sizes (mesiodistal [MD] and buccolingual [BL] widths and volumes) for SG and CG were measured. Afterward, 3D deviation analysis was carried out with the use of Geomagic Control X software. All of the data were normally distributed according to parametric tests. RESULTS: All of the maxillary tooth diameters were smaller in SG than in CG. Statistically significant differences (P </= 0.001) were obtained when comparing the widths and volumes of the PDC quadrant and the unaffected quadrant of the same patient. Morphologic tooth symmetry by surface-to-surface matching for SG (PDC side vs non-PDC side) and CG (right vs left quadrant) demonstrated significant (P </= 0.001) but small differences, except for the lateral upper incisors (71.27%). CONCLUSIONS: Unlike control subjects, PDC patients showed high mismatching of lateral incisor crowns of approximately 30%.