| Introduction. The purpose of this study was to clarify morphologic differences between Caucasian and Hispanic mandibular clinical arch forms in Class I, II, and III malocclusions. Methods. The study included 60 Class I, 50 Class II, and 50 Class III patients from each ethnic group. Orthodontic study models were photocopied, scanned, digitized, and measured (4 linear and 2 proportional). The dental arches were classified into square, ovoid, and tapered forms to compare the frequency distributions between the 2 ethnic groups. Results. The Caucasians had a significantly smaller arch dimensions than the Hispanics, except for canine depth. Caucasians had a higher frequency of tapered arch form whereas Hispanics had a high frequency of square arch form. Conclusion. There is a significant difference between frequency of arch forms and arch dimensions of Hispanic and Caucasian patients. Specifically, there is no arch form unique to any of Angle classification or ethnic group. |
