Abstract

Lateral cephalograms and study casts of 55 patients were evaluated to determine if any relationships exist among incisal positions and angulations, changes in positions and angulations, and long-term occlusal stability. No significant relationships could be found between long-term changes occurring in a number of commonly used incisal measurements and end-of-treatment incisal positions, changes in incisal positions during treatment, or long-term changes in the facial axis angle, ANB angle, or weighted PAR score. Long-term incisal changes occurring in individual patients were not necessarily associated with negative occlusal changes. Since incisal positions usually change in the long-term, it is suggested that the use of published norms or recommended absolute goals for end-of-treatment incisal positions be used more as general functional and esthetic clinical guides, rather than as predictors of stability.