Do gender and age influence hard palate dimensions? A systematic review.

PURPOSE: Analyze the influence of gender and age on hard palate dimensions and verify the reference parameters available in the literature.

RESEARCH STRATEGIES: Two reviewers independently performed a search at the Cochrane Library, PubMed-Medline and Web of Knowledge databases using descriptors according to the syntax rules of each database.

SELECTION CRITERIA: Observational or experimental human studies evaluating the dimensions of the hard palate or maxillary dental arch, with at least one transverse, vertical or sagittal plane measurement, in normal occlusions or class I malocclusions, and comparisons of the dimensions between genders and/or ages.

DATA ANALYSIS: Descriptive analysis with the following subdivisions: design, sample, evaluation instruments, measurements in millimeters, and statistical analysis. Quality of the included studies was verified by the Newcastle - Ottawa Quality scale.

RESULTS

Eighteen studies were selected and 11 presented results for hard palate or maxillary dental arch dimensions according to gender, six in age and gender and one in age only.

CONCLUSION

The dimensions were larger in males and progressive increase in the measurements was observed from birth to the permanent dentition period.