The effect of facial growth, attrition, and age on the distance from the cementoenamel junction to the alveolar bone crest in the deciduous dentition.

The aim of this study was to describe the distances from the cementoenamel junction to the alveolar bone crest (CEJ-ABC) in the deciduous dentition and to relate them to age, facial, and tooth structure in 72 dry human skulls. Age correlated significantly with anterior face height (AntFH), the distance from condyle to gnathion (Co-Gn), lateral face height (LatFH), molar anatomic crown (MAC), and molar space (MS). The CEJ-ABC per skull and for the molars correlated with age, LatFH, AntFH, Co-Gn, MS, and MAC. The CEJ-ABC for the canines and the incisors correlated with age, LatFH, AntFH, and Co-GN. Multiple regression analysis on the effect of age, AntFH, LatFH, Co-Gn, and MAC on the CEJ-ABC distances indicated that they account for 36.3% of the CEJ-ABC distance per skull, 68.8% for the molars, 34.3% for the canines, and 44.2% for the incisors. The effect of each variable while controlling for the others indicated that age, LatFH, and MAC had a significant effect on the CEJ-ABC of the molars, whereas only age had a significant effect on the CEJ-ABC of the canines and incisors. These results indicate that there is a site-specific effect of facial growth and attrition on the CEJ-ABC distances in the deciduous dentition.