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University of Tennessee Health Science Center

First Premolar Extraction Decisions and Effects

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

<p>The most common method of resolving substantial tooth size-arch length discrepancies (TSALD) is to treat patients with the extraction of premolars. Not all of the extraction space, however, is needed to eliminate the patient's TSALD. Also, it is typical that some of the extraction space will be lost because the molars are used as anchorage units to retract the anterior teeth. OBJECTIVE: This study developed a method to measure changes in the positions of the canines and second premolars relative to the palatal rugae. These data were used to assess how the extraction space was used in resolving the malocclusion. Data were also collected on the severity of the malocclusion—namely, pretreatment overjet, overbite, incisor irregularity, and TSALD—to test whether these were predictive in the extraction decision. The goal was to better understand first premolar extraction changes and decisions. METHODS: Pretreatment and posttreatment dental casts were available for 50 adolescent North American whites with Class I malocclusion who were treated with first-premolar extractions. Sixty-four landmarks were recorded in all three planes of space with a MicroScribe G2X 3D digitizing system and distances were computer-generated using trigonometric algorithms. RESULTS: Removing a first premolar gave an average of 7.3 mm of space in each quadrant of which 3.8 mm (51%) was consumed by canine retraction, while 3.6 mm (49%) was used as the second premolar moved mesially. Changes in the transverse dimension after premolar extraction treatment were minor, though second premolar width diminished about 1 mm as these teeth were moved into a narrower segment of the arch (P < 0.01). The extent of incisor irregularity had a significant positive association with the amount of canine retraction (r = 0.33; P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: A four first premolar extraction pattern in Class I patients provides space that is consumed almost equally by the retraction of canines and the mesial movement of the buccal segments in the maxilla. Multivariately, the two significant variables associated with increased canine retraction in these patients were transverse canine change (i.e., buccally displaced canines) and a high level of incisor irregularity.</p>

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Dental Science (MDS)
Level thesis:degree_level
Thesis
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Orthodontics
Year dc:date.available
2005

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Bowles, Ryan Gregory
Contributors dc:contributor
  • Edward Harris, Ph.D.

Subjects

dc:subject × 7

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Repository record dc:identifier
https://dc.uthsc.edu/dissertations/30
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:dc.uthsc.edu:dissertations-1030

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Base URL
dc.uthsc.edu/do/oai/
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Bowles, Ryan Gregory. First Premolar Extraction Decisions and Effects. Thesis thesis, 2005. https://dc.uthsc.edu/dissertations/30