A study of the use of photographs for denture tooth selection

Purpose: The aim was to examine a method described by Wehner et al for calc ulating the width of a missing central incisor using preextraction photogra phs. Materials and Methods: Three photographic views were obtained for each of 30 dentate subjects: full face, oblique, and reduced-sire full face. Th e width of the maxillary right central incisor (MR1) was calculated using a formula. The difference between the actual width and calculated width of M R1 was determined for each subject. The median difference and interquartile range were determined because the data were skewed. Results: The width of MR1 calculated using the larger full-face view was typically smaller than t he actual width, with a median difference of -0.18 mm. The interquartile ra nge of the difference was from -0.42 to 0.05 mm. For both the oblique and r educed-size views, the calculated width was typically larger, with a median difference of 1.19 mm with an interquartile range from 0.82 to 1.76 mm and a median difference of 0.84 mm with an interquartile range from 0.59 to 1. 41 mm, respectively. Conclusion: The technique described by Wehner et al is of proven value in calculating the width of a central incisor when the onl y available evidence is a preextraction photograph. However, it is of value only when the photograph is a full-face portrait of sufficient size.