A Tertiary Care Hospital’s Dentate Patients’ Right Ring Finger Length And Vertical Dimension Of Occlusion Have An Anthropometric Correlation

Original Article

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine if there is an anthropometric relationship between dentate patients’ right ring finger
(RRFL) length and vertical dimensions of occlusion (VDO) when they attend a tertiary care institution to have their
root canal-treated teeth crowned.
STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study
Duration and place of study: BKMC Mardan, KPK, from August 2019 to Feb 2020
METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study was done. The study was done at the outpatient prosthodontics
department at BKMC in Mardan, KPK, from August 2019 to February 2020. Each participant sat on a dental
chair with their heads raised while a computerized Vernier scale recorded their VDO. Second, the finger was RRFL
recorded from tip to palmar digital crease farthest point. The data collection form includes age, gender, residence, and
purpose of visit to assess whether the measured lengths—the VDO and the RRFL—are related.
RESULTS: There was a significant relationship (r=0.4057) between age and VDO and RRFL in the 18–25
age bracket (p = 0.000336). The age group from 26 to 30 has a p-value of 0.028398 and an R-value of 0.2549.
The gender-related correlation between VDO and RRFL in the male group was r = 0.3465, with a p-value of
0.002493. The female group had a p-value of 0.01717 and a correlation coefficient of 0.2763.
CONCLUSION: RRFL and VDO have a favorable association, suggesting that it might help determine VDO.
For accurate VDO selection, using this reference point in conjunction with further measurements is advised.
KEYWORDS: Prosthodontics, Vertical Dimension of Occlusion, and Right Ring Finger Length