• Piyarat Apivatanagul
• Vachara Phetcharakupt
• Ketkunya Suvanprateeb
• Ngarmporn Thunyakitpisal

Objective The purposes of this study were to determine arch width in brachyfacial and dolichofacial group and comparing the means of arch width between these groups.

Material and method The samples were selected from lateral cephalograms, using SN-MP angle as a criteria to classify facial type, obtained 38 brachyfacial (26 females, 12 males) and 38 dolichofaial (23 females, 15 males) The study models were taken for anterior an posterior arch width measurements both upper and lower jaws. Using Korkhaus referent point and pointed dividers. Studied the lowest, highest, mean and standard deviation values of all arch widths of each facial type. And T-test used to compare means of arch widths between group.

Results In brachyfacial group, means of anterior upper, posterior upper, anterior lower and posterior lower arch widths were 38.092, 48.553, 37.750 and 48.803 mm. when as dolichofacial group were 36.447, 46.842, 36.132 and 47.263 mm. respectively. All of values were significantly different between two groups (P < 0.05). Exception of significantly different was found when considered by gender. In female, even all the values were different though only anterior upper and lower arch widths were significantly different (P < 0.05).

Conclusion All the means of upper and lower arch widths in brachyfacial group were larger than dolichofacial group.

(CU Dent J 2004;27:109-116)