Open Gingival Embrasures between Maxillary Incisors after Orthodontic Treatment in Adults : Prevalence, Association of Pretreatment Maxillary Incisors Shape and Malalignment

Abstract

The purposes of this descriptive study were to determine the prevalence of posttreatment open gingival embrasures between maxillary incisors (black triangle spaces) in adult orthodontic patients and to examine the association of pretreatment maxillary incisors shape and malalignment.  Examining the oral cavity of the orthodontic patients during adjustment phase and posttreatment intraoral photographs of 247 adult orthodontic patients were evaluated to determine the prevalence of open gingival embrasures.  The prevalence of posttreatment open gingival embrasures between maxillary incisors in adult orthodontic patients was 37 percent.  Of this group, 45 percent had a black triangular space between maxillary central incisors, 37.4 percent had 2 black triangular spaces and 17.6 percent had more than 2 black triangular spaces.  Orthodontic study models and intraoral photographs of these groups were examined.  Pretreatment maxillary central incisors overlap and rotation were found in the first group.  The other two groups had cross-bites and more crowded incisors.