Tooth size prediction formulae: a preliminary study on data derived from a sample of South African white and black patients

Abstract

The aim of this study was to derive the best combination of teeth with which new prediction equations could be formulated, resulting in more accurate prediction of the combined sizes of the permanent canine and premolar teeth for the white and black South African populations. The mesio-distal tooth sizes of each tooth from first molar to first molar were measured for both arches on a sample of dental casts. The data were subjected to a series of statistical correlation and regression. The sum of the permanent upper first molar, upper central incisor and lower lateral incisor were found to produce the most accurate predictions for both the white and black samples. The newly formulated equations were more applicable to and accurate in the South African white population, and for South African black female population; however, there was no improvement in the accuracy of forecasting tooth size for the South African black male population.