Various patterns of extraction in patients with crowding

Abstract

Introduction: Crowding is the unesthetic feature of permanent dentition leading to malalignment of the teeth and one of the prime reasons for seeking orthodontic treatment. Extraction is one of the most common methods used for creation of space for aligning teeth in order to achieve an attractive smile. Hence, this study was conducted to determine the prevalence of crowding in maxillary and mandibular arches in cases reporting to Islamabad Dental Hospital and the extraction patterns carried out for its resolution.

Material and Methods: This descriptive retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at The Department of Orthodontics, Islamabad Dental Hospital. Data of 916 patients was collected from patient record files for demographic variables (Age, Gender), degree of crowding, pattern and frequency of extractions.

Results: Crowding was more in mandible as compared to maxilla. According to the pattern of extraction, first premolars were the teeth most extracted followed by single lower incisor.

Conclusions: Extractions of teeth is often the most favored treatment choice for patients reporting with a chief complaint of crowding. This poses more diligence towards safer mechanics in order to avoid the detrimental effects of this method of treatment.