A clinical study of the relationship between crowding of teeth, plaque and gingival condition

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Abstract
A clinical trial was undertaken to assess whether crowded teeth were more likely to accumulate plaque and develop gingivitis than non-crowded teeth. A tooth was considered crowded if it was displaced by 2 mm and/or rotated 15 degrees or more from the normal position in the arch. The material consisted of 50 dental students aged 21-32 yr. An initial examination comprised assessment of Plaque Index [PI], Gingival Index [GI] and pocket depths. After this examination the subjects refrained from using interdental cleaning aids but continued with their normal toothbrushing for 40 days. After re-examination they were instructed in the effective use of dental floss. A final examination was carried out after 140 days. At the start of the trial no difference was found in regard to the Plaque Index between crowded and non-crowded teeth. The GI for crowded front teeth, but not for crowded premolars, was somewhat higher than for the corresponding controls. The cessation of interdental cleaning resulted in a similar increase in plaque accumulation and gingival inflammation in both non-crowded and crowded teeth. The use of dental floss for approximal tooth cleaning resulted in a similar decrease in the PI and GI for both types of teeth. In a group of young adults, crowding of teeth did not favor plaque accumulation on approximal tooth surfaces and influenced the degree of gingival inflammation only to a minor extent.