Correlation between W angle and different angular and linear sagittal skeletal discrepancy indicators

Introduction: In orthodontics, for diagnosis and treatment planning, an accurate antero-posterior measurement of jaw relationships is of critical importance. Various angular and linear measurements that have been proposed from time to time and are currently in use to assess the antero-posterior discrepancy between maxilla and mandible can at times be inaccurate due to their dependency on certain factors which have been found to be unreliable at times. So the purpose of this study is to compare and find a co-relation between the most commonly used parameters for finding sagittal discrepancy (ANB angle, WITS appraisal and BETA angle) and a relatively newly introduced parameter (W angle). Materials and method: The sample consisted of 42 pre-treatment lateral cephalograms of orthodontic patients, who reported for treatment in the Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics of Maharana Pratap College of Dentistry and Research Centre, divided into following three groups: Group I – Class I skeletal pattern (n=14), Group II – Class II skeletal pattern (n=14) and Group III – Class III skeletal pattern (n=14) based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria selected. Results : Pearsons correlation statistical analysis was performed and results indicated significant association between W angle and ANB angle in class II group ( p < 0.05 ) also significant association between W angle and all the other selected parameters in class III group ( p < 0.05 ) Conclusion: W angle is comparable to the widely accepted sagittal discrepancy parameters in assisting diagnosis of Class II and Class III sagittal discrepancies as effectively as ANB angle, WITS appraisal and Beta angle.