From among numerous potential causes of dental malocclusion, tooth size has been implicated as one factor. Prior studies show that mesiodistally larger teeth increase the risk of malocclusion. The present report extends our understanding by testing for graded responses between crown size and the extent of dental malocclusion. Maximum mesiodistal crown dimensions of all 14 permanent tooth types (excluding third molars) were measured in 207 American white adolescents (routine orthodontic patients), and 10 measures of malocclusion (e.g., rotations, displacements, spacing) were recorded. Analysis of covariance (controlling for sexual dimorphism in tooth size) disclosed (1) significant positive associations between crown size and measures of crowding and (2) significant negative associations between crown size and measures of spacing. Of note, significant associations are widespread, involving all tooth types, both those emerging early and late. This systemic effect seems due to the intercorrelations among tooth dimensions and to the cumulative effects of crown sizes summed across multiple teeth—and this is borne out by multivariate models. Overall, tooth size probably is not commonly the paramount cause of malocclusion, but it is a readily documented influence, and its importance probably is increasing due to secular increases of crown sizes in response to diminished morbidity and improved nutrition.
","abstract_html":"<p>From among numerous potential causes of dental malocclusion, tooth size has been implicated as one factor. Prior studies show that mesiodistally larger teeth increase the risk of malocclusion. The present report extends our understanding by testing for graded responses between crown size and the extent of dental malocclusion. Maximum mesiodistal crown dimensions of all 14 permanent tooth types (excluding third molars) were measured in 207 American white adolescents (routine orthodontic patients), and 10 measures of malocclusion (<em>e.g.</em>, rotations, displacements, spacing) were recorded. Analysis of covariance (controlling for sexual dimorphism in tooth size) disclosed (1) significant positive associations between crown size and measures of crowding and (2) significant negative associations between crown size and measures of spacing. Of note, significant associations are widespread, involving all tooth types, both those emerging early and late. This systemic effect seems due to the intercorrelations among tooth dimensions and to the cumulative effects of crown sizes summed across multiple teeth—and this is borne out by multivariate models. Overall, tooth size probably is not commonly the paramount cause of malocclusion, but it is a readily documented influence, and its importance probably is increasing due to secular increases of crown sizes in response to diminished morbidity and improved nutrition.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Zang-Bodis, Jon Robert"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Dental Science (MDS)","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Orthodontics","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Edward F. Harris, Ph.D."],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2009,"date_issued":"2009-05-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2009-05-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:00:23Z","subjects":["Malocclusion","Tooth Size","Crowding","Mesiodistal","Crown Dimensions","Dental Cast","Dentistry","Medicine and Health Sciences","Orthodontics and Orthodontology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://dc.uthsc.edu/dissertations/316","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Edward F. Harris, Ph.D."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Zang-Bodis, Jon Robert"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2016-06-20T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Orthodontics"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Dental Science (MDS)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Malocclusion","Tooth Size","Crowding","Mesiodistal","Crown Dimensions","Dental Cast","Dentistry","Medicine and Health Sciences","Orthodontics and Orthodontology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://dc.uthsc.edu/dissertations/316"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["From among numerous potential causes of dental malocclusion, tooth size has been implicated as one factor. Prior studies show that mesiodistally larger teeth increase the risk of malocclusion. The present report extends our understanding by testing for graded responses between crown size and the extent of dental malocclusion. Maximum mesiodistal crown dimensions of all 14 permanent tooth types (excluding third molars) were measured in 207 American white adolescents (routine orthodontic patients), and 10 measures of malocclusion (e.g., rotations, displacements, spacing) were recorded. Analysis of covariance (controlling for sexual dimorphism in tooth size) disclosed (1) significant positive associations between crown size and measures of crowding and (2) significant negative associations between crown size and measures of spacing. Of note, significant associations are widespread, involving all tooth types, both those emerging early and late. This systemic effect seems due to the intercorrelations among tooth dimensions and to the cumulative effects of crown sizes summed across multiple teeth—and this is borne out by multivariate models. Overall, tooth size probably is not commonly the paramount cause of malocclusion, but it is a readily documented influence, and its importance probably is increasing due to secular increases of crown sizes in response to diminished morbidity and improved nutrition.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Mesiodistal Crown Size in Relation to the Risk and Severity of Malocclusion"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Edward F. Harris, Ph.D."],"dc:creator":["Zang-Bodis, Jon Robert"],"dc:date.available":["2016-06-20T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["From among numerous potential causes of dental malocclusion, tooth size has been implicated as one factor. Prior studies show that mesiodistally larger teeth increase the risk of malocclusion. The present report extends our understanding by testing for graded responses between crown size and the extent of dental malocclusion. Maximum mesiodistal crown dimensions of all 14 permanent tooth types (excluding third molars) were measured in 207 American white adolescents (routine orthodontic patients), and 10 measures of malocclusion (e.g., rotations, displacements, spacing) were recorded. Analysis of covariance (controlling for sexual dimorphism in tooth size) disclosed (1) significant positive associations between crown size and measures of crowding and (2) significant negative associations between crown size and measures of spacing. Of note, significant associations are widespread, involving all tooth types, both those emerging early and late. This systemic effect seems due to the intercorrelations among tooth dimensions and to the cumulative effects of crown sizes summed across multiple teeth—and this is borne out by multivariate models. Overall, tooth size probably is not commonly the paramount cause of malocclusion, but it is a readily documented influence, and its importance probably is increasing due to secular increases of crown sizes in response to diminished morbidity and improved nutrition.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://dc.uthsc.edu/dissertations/316"],"dc:subject":["Malocclusion","Tooth Size","Crowding","Mesiodistal","Crown Dimensions","Dental Cast","Dentistry","Medicine and Health Sciences","Orthodontics and Orthodontology"],"dc:title":["Mesiodistal Crown Size in Relation to the Risk and Severity of Malocclusion"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Orthodontics"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Dental Science (MDS)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:00:23Z"}