Evaluation of widths of maxillary anterior teeth and their relation to the golden proportion in the southwestern part of Saudi Arabia

Background: With available esthetic dental materials in dentistry, satisfactory restoration of anterior teeth is possible. However in addition to the material aspect, the size and form to be given to the maxillary teeth assumes great significance. Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the existence of golden proportion in the widths of maxillary anterior teeth. Methods: This study was conducted with 30 male and 30 female students studying in the College Of Dental Sciences and Hospital, Jazan, Saudi Arabia. The students were screened for the fulfillment of selection criteria, Alginate impressions were taken and dental casts of maxillary arches made. The widths of anterior central incisors, lateral incisors and canines were measured using a digital caliper. The existence of golden proportion was investigated in the width ratios of the maxillary anterior teeth. Results: Comparison of perceived width ratios of lateral to central and canine to lateral with the golden proportion of 0.618 was carried out. In males the results showed that while the mean width ratio for the lateral to canine corresponded to the golden proportion, the lateral to central ratio did not correspond to the golden proportion. In females, the central to lateral ratio was in accordance with the golden proportion but not the canine to lateral ratio. Conclusion: Golden proportion was found to exist in the mean width ratios of canine-lateral teeth in males and in the mean width ratio of maxillary central and lateral teeth in females. Keywords: Golden proportion, anterior teeth, esthetic dentistry, canine-lateral width- ratio