earticle

영어

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the cusp variation pattern of the Korean mandibular second premolar and to determine the difference in tooth diameter and surface area using a virtual three-dimensional model. Methods: Dental casts from 69 students were scanned as a virtual dental models with a three-dimensional dental model scanner. Tooth diameter, absolute and relative individual areas, total crown area, the number of lingual cusps and central groove pattern were analyzed using RapidForm 2004. The Mann–Whitney U-test and the Kruskal–Wallis test were performed to verify sexual dimorphism, the difference in tooth diameter and surface according to the cusp variation pattern (α=0.05). Results: There was no significant difference except in buccolingual diameter (p<0.05) and buccolingual diameter at the cervix (p<0.05). The relative surface area of the total clinical crown was 65.76% for the buccal half and 34.24% for the lingual half, with a ratio of 2:1. In the case of the presence of two lingual cusps, the ratio was 21.47% for the mesiolingual half and 14.12% for the distaolingual half, with a ratio of 3:2. The dominant central groove patterns of the second premolar were the H-pattern (42.0%), followed by the Y-pattern (37.7%), then the U-pattern (20.3%). The relative buccal half was largest in the U-pattern central groove and the relative lingual half was largest in the Y-pattern central groove (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study is significant in that it measured quantitative surface areas and the findings could be a meaningful reference to comprehend dental anatomy in Koreans.