Abstract
Study casts of the teeth are routinely used for diagnosis and to assess treatment change: the crowding of the teeth or shortage of space available within the dental arch is usually assessed visually. A full cast analysis program has been developed previously, making use of the three-dimensional Reflex Plotter linked to a computer. This study examines the validity of the fit of computer generated parabolic curves to dental arches, as performed in the measurement of crowding. Using a visual analogue method it was found that the parabola appeared to fit lower post-treatment dental arches best. However, reservations regarding the fit of symmetrical curves are expressed and other solutions suggested.

This publication has 13 references indexed in Scilit: