Tooth Wears and Dentoalveolar Compensation of Vertical Height

The present study aims to determine differences in vertical facial dimensions as a result of dental wear. The study consisted of 20 subjects with vertical tooth wear. The mean age of sample was 52.4 years. The control group consisted of 20 dental school students. The mean age of control group was 22 years (subjects with severe malocclusion or tooth wear were not included). All subjects’ cephalometric and panoramic radiographs were taken from natural head posture. Dentoalveolar height was recorded as in the maxilla and in the mandible on the both cephalometric and panoramic radiograph. Result of the cephalometric measurements showed that signifi cant differences lower face height (ANS-Me), lower dentoalveolar height (IiMP) between the groups (p<0,001). Upper dentoalveolar height (Is-PP) and total face height (N-Me) was greater than control group (p<0,01). According to the result of panoramic measurement dentoalveolar compensatory of samples was greater than control group in mandibuler premolar area (p<0,05). We found out that dentoalveolar structure is compensating the loss of vertical height when there is the severe occlusal tooth wears.