USE OF LINGUAL FRENUM IN DETERMINING THE OCCLUSAL VERTICAL DIMENSION

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the use of anterior attachment of lingual frenum as a pre-extraction record to determine the occlusal vertical dimension in the edentulous patients. It was a cross sectional study carried out in six months duration from July 2018 to January 2019.

A total of 30 dentate subjects fulfilling the inclusion criteria were selected from the department of Prosthodontics, Lahore Medical and Dental College, Lahore. Non-probability purposive sampling was used for the selection of the subjects. Informed consent was taken.

Irreversible hydrocolloid impressions were taken, mandibular casts were fabricated with dental stone. Anterior attachment of lingual frenum was marked with a carbon marker. With the help of divider and scale the distance from the anterior attachment of lingual frenum and the mandibular central incisor edge was measured.

The statistical analysis of the data was carried out by using student t test.The statistical results of this study has shown that the difference between the males and the females regarding the distance from the edge of the mandibular cantral incisor and the anterior attachment of the lingual frenum was insignificant (p <0.05). The distance between the anterior attachment of the lingual frenum and the edge of mandibular central incisor may be used as reliable land mark to determine the occlusal vertical dimension in edentulous patients.