Changes in lower incisor inclination and the occurrence of gingival recession

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate whether altering the labial-lingual position of lower incisors in adolescents might predispose to the development of gingival recession. Methods: Records from 189 Caucasian adolescents (107 female and 81 male) pre and post orthodontic treatment were selected. Patients yielded mean ± SD values of initial records age 11.2 ± 1.9 years and final records age 14.7 ± 1.8 years. The presence of gingival recession was evaluated in models and photographs. The inclination of lower incisors to the mandibular plane angle (IMPA) was measured on lateral cephalograms, pre and post treatment. Results: No significant association was observed between changes in tooth inclination and the presence of gingival recessions, based on chi-square analysis (p = 0.277). Data demonstrated that in 107 patients (56.6%) incisors were proclined, in 64 patients (33.9%) incisors were retroinclined and 18 patients (9.5%) did not show any changes in tooth inclination. In the cases where new gingival recessions occurred, 64.9% had been moved buccally, 26.3% had been moved lingually and 8.8% did not change inclination. In the group of patients that displayed coronal migration of the gingival margin, 60% were moved lingually, 30% were moved buccally and 10% did not change inclination. Conclusions: Even though the percentage of cases where teeth were proclined showed a larger number of new gingival recessions, it was not statistically significant.