Indrani Das

ABSTRACT

Background: For a pair of successful complete dentures with optimum esthetics, occlusal balance and function correct orientation of occlusal plane is of utmost importance. However precise location of occlusal plane in an edentulous subject is a controversial issue. This study is done to determine which of the posterior reference point on tragus gives us a plane most parallel to natural occlusal plane. Aims: Use of ala tragus line to orient occlusal plane is controversial because of lack of agreement regarding the posterior reference point .This study aims at establishing the best posterior reference point on the ala tragus line. Methods and Material: The study comprised of 100 dentulous subjects with all healthy permanent teeth in normal arch form and alignment who were selected randomly and who agreed to participate in the study. A custom-made occlusal plane analyzer was used to check the parallelism between the ala-tragal line and the occlusal plane. The tragus was divided into three parts: superior, middle, and inferior. The instrument was placed in the subject’s mouth, and the posterior points on the tragus were determined. Statistical analysis used: The readings were subjected to Pearson’s Chi Square Test. Results: For the 100 dentate participants in this study ,the most common location of the posterior point on the tragus was the inferior part of tragus (67%).The second most common location of the tragus was the middle part (19%), followed by the superior location (8%). Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that the occlusal plane was found parallel to a line joining the ala of the nose and the inferior part of the tragus.