Orthodontic perspective in causing the severity of malocclusion in hypodontia patients: A clinical study

Aim: This study was aimed to compare Bolton's ratio and the arch width of patients with hypodontia with that of the control group. Materials and Methods: Ten cases with congenitally missing teeth and 10 cases of the control group were grouped in this study. It was guided by Bolton's ratio and Ashley Howe's analysis considering the tooth material and comparing tooth material to jaw size in the latter. Tooth width measurements were compared using a t-test, statistically significant at P < 0.05. Results: Patients with hypodontia shows significantly lower Bolton's ratio as compared to the control group. However, the values when compared statistically were not significant (P > 0.05). Arch width analysis showed significantly reduced basal arch width dimensions in hypodontia patients (P < 0.05) with preponderance toward nonextraction. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the hypodontia patients have comparatively narrower mesiodistal tooth measurements (prominently in posterior segments), lower Bolton's ratio, and reduced basal arch width as compared to control population. The treatment of patients showed preponderance toward nonextraction methodology.