Correlation of "K" plane to occlusal plane and three different ala-tragal lines in dentulous subjects with different skeletal forms: A cephalometric study.

Aim: Orientation of the occlusal plane is an important clinical procedure for complete denture fabrication. An attempt had been made to reconstruct the occlusal plane using a different reference plane. The aim of this study was to find the correlation of the "K" plane to the occlusal plane and to assess the angular deviation between the K-plane to the occlusal plane (KO) with different skeletal forms.

Settings and design: An in vivo observational study was conducted on dentulous subjects having Class I dental occlusion with different skeletal forms undergoing orthodontic treatment.

Materials and methods: The study was conducted on 54 subjects aged 18-30 years. Metallic balls (3 mm in diameter) were attached to the desired landmarks, and a lateral cephalogram was taken for each subject. Cephalometric analysis was done using the Dolphin Imaging software, and the values obtained were recorded and subjected to statistical analysis.

Statistical analysis used: The values obtained were recorded and subjected to statistical analysis using simple descriptive analysis, Shapiro-Wilk test, Mann-Whitney U-test, and Pearson's correlation.

Results: A positive correlation was found between KO with a mean angular deviation of 8.59° ± 3.05°. The angle was found to be steeper in skeletal Class II subjects.

Conclusions: Clinical application of the K-plane to use as a reference plane to orient the posterior occlusal plane can enhance the treatment outcome for a removable prosthesis. The results of this study provide a theoretical foundation for the practical restoration of the occlusal plane in different skeletal forms.