Occlusal characteristics and tooth mobility in periodontally healthy young males classified orthodontically.
Three groups of periodontally healthy young males classified as to orthodontic status by the Handicapping Labio-Lingual Deviations Index were evaluated for various occlusal characteristics. A much larger proportion (95%) of the orthodontically normal subjects (Group I) had an Angle Class I type of occlusion than the Group II subjects requiring orthodontic care (60.5%), or the Group III subjects who had received orthodontic care (63.4%). The percentages of subjects with a "cuspid-protected" type of occlusion were larger in the orthodontically normal and orthodontically treated groups than in the group requiring orthodontic care. Anterior displacement of the mandible in closing from centric relation to the intercuspal position was found in the majority of subjects in each group. Displacement of more than 2 mm was most common in the subjects requiring orthodontic care. Only 1 of the 41 orthodontically treated subjects reported that his occlusion had been adjusted by grinding after tooth movement. There were no statistically significant differences in mean tooth mobility values between the orthodontically normal and orthodontically treated subjects. The lateral incisor tooth had a significantly lower mean mobility value in subjects whose orthodontic care included removal of the first premolar than in subjects treated without removal of the first premolar. Wear facets were common in all three groups. Based on the findings, one can conclude that orthodontic therapy was only partially successful in obtaining the objectives described as part of an ideal result. It should be noted, however, that the status of the dentition and occlusion prior to orthodontic treatment could not be determined for more than a few subjects.