Dental anthropological study on the occlusal characteristics of the Koreans

Nahm, Dong Seok

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the dental arch morphology and the occlusal characteristics in the Koreans from the dental-anthropological point of view. The sample consisted of dental stone casts obtained from 120 Korean adults and 142 Japanese adults. Japanese casts and Caucasian data had been preserved at the Dept. of Orthodontics of Tokyo Medical and Dental University. Tooth size and dental arch morphology of the Koreans were compared with that of the Japanese. On the other hand, the variations of 30 crown traits, categorized and quantitatively graded, were compared between two peoples and the frequency distribution of each crown traits were analyzed by means of Chi-square test. The results were summerized as followings; 1. There was a significant sexual difference in dental arch length and width in the Korean, in which male had a longer and wider dental arch than female. There was a close resemblance for dental arch morphology between the Koreans and the Japanese, except for a little longer mandibular arch of the Japanese. 2. In general, Korean male had wider crown than female, particulary in central incisor, canine, lst molar of maxilla and canine, 1st and 2nd molar of mandible with significance. The Korean had wider maxillary first molar, smaller mandibular first and second molar than the Japanese in both sex. 3. In crown traits of the Korean, shovel-shaped incisor showed lower frequency distribution than in the Japanese, but higher than in the Caucasians. Frequency of incisor reduction was shown higher distribution than in the Japanese and the Caucasians. Carabelli's tubercle showed higher frequency distribution than in Japanese, but remarkably lower than in Caucasians.