Open Access
CC BY 4.0 · European Journal of General Dentistry
DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1809366
Original Article

Associations between Sagittal, Transversal, and Vertical Planes with Dental Anomalies in Pretreatment Orthodontic Patients of Kosovo

Mimoza Selmani
1   Faculty of Dentistry, AAB College, Prishtina, Kosovo
,
Manushaqe Selmani Bukleta
2   Faculty of Dentistry, College of Medical Science, “Rezonanca,” Pristina, Kosovo
3   Department of Prosthetics, Dental Clinic, Mdent Family Dentistry, Prishtina, Kosovo
› Author Affiliations
 

Abstract

Objective

The objective of this study was to compare the different types of malocclusions in the sagittal, transverse, and vertical planes and to assess their association with dental anomalies such as hypodontia, ectopic eruption, and anterior and posterior crossbite.

Materials and Methods

The sample population was selected from orthodontic specialty clinics in Pristina, Kosovo. The study was conducted by recruiting 617 patients; 377 (61%) were female and 240 (39%) were male. The following occlusal relationships (regarding Angle's classification) were assessed during the examination of study casts: molar and canine sagittal relationships and coincidence of incisal midlines. Malocclusion in the transverse plane, vertical plane, and anterior and posterior crowding in both jaws was examined.

Results

In the sagittal plane, the majority of both females (45.6%) and males (42.9%) belonged to class I. However, males had a higher proportion in class III (22.5) compared with females (16.4%). In the transversal plane, the upper midline was predominantly on the right side for both genders. For the lower midline, both genders showed almost a similar distribution. The vertical plane analysis indicated that deep bite is more common in males (31.7%) than females (30.2%). In contrast, females had a slightly higher occurrence of open bite (15.9%) compared with males (11.7%). Regarding dental anomalies, hypodontia affected a higher percentage of males (13.8%) compared with females (12.2%).

Conclusion

In the sagittal plane, class I is common in both genders, while the males show higher class III prevalence. In the transversal plane, upper midline deviation to the right is slightly more frequent in females. Regarding vertical plane, deep bite is somewhat more prevalent in males, whereas open bite is more common in females.


Introduction

Malocclusions have negative effects on emotional and social well-being.[1] According to the World Health Organization, malocclusion is one of the most important oral health problems, after caries and periodontal disease. The prevalence range is extensive and heterogeneous.[2] There is a higher frequency of dental anomalies among orthodontic patients because some of the dental anomalies can play a role in the development of malocclusion. Impactions and supernumerary teeth are the main dental anomalies among the studied orthodontic patients.[3]

Malocclusion has a multifactorial etiology, being caused by hereditary factors, quality of life, environmental factors, or a combination of these factors.[2] [4] Genetically determined factors influence growth and can, therefore, lead to malocclusion. These influences can be combined with etiological factors such as thumb sucking. When the child interposes his thumb between the dental arches, it causes the tongue to move downwards. The tongue does not reach its correct position on the palate, preventing it from developing transversely.[2] Among the various classes of malocclusion, class II division 2 has displayed a significant association with dental anomalies.[5]

Despite the high frequency of dental anomalies among orthodontic patients, these factors are often unacknowledged in clinical orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning. So to improve public oral health, it is vital to determine the association of malocclusion and dental anomalies and help pursue the orthodontic treatment.[6] [7] Understanding the comparisons and correlations of malocclusion with anomalies will provide ways for new research, treatment plans, and management of patients.[6]

Although several studies have examined the prevalence and classification of malocclusion, data are not sufficient. The comprehensive correlations of malocclusions with dental anomalies such as hypodontia, ectopic eruption, and crossbites were deficient. Moreover, very limited data are available on the prevalence of malocclusion and associated dental anomalies in the Kosovan population. To date, no study has evaluated the distribution of malocclusion types across all three spatial planes, while simultaneously assessing their association with common dental anomalies in orthodontic patients in Kosovo.

The correlations between the three classes of malocclusion and dental anomalies have not been investigated in the Kosovan population; hence, the aim of the current study was to correlate the existence of dental anomalies with different types of malocclusions as the occurrence of anomalies is common in malocclusion.


Materials and Methods

This retrospective cross-sectional study was performed among 617 patients distributed among two age groups: below and above 18 years visiting the orthodontic specialty clinics in Kosovo. Data for the study were taken from the pretreatment diagnostic records of patients from 2017 to 2023. The following inclusion criteria were incorporated: archived files, no significant medical and dental history, no extensive restorations that can hinder the identification of dental anomalies, no previous history of orthodontic treatment, Albanian patients from Kosovo, and complete dental files including history, examination, orthopantomogram, and photographs. The exclusion criteria were maxillofacial trauma, oral pathologies, and diagnosed syndromes. The following occlusal relationships (regarding Angle's classification) were assessed during the examination of study casts: molar and canine sagittal relationships and coincidence of incisal midlines. Angle's classification was considered, and the findings were categorized into class I, II, and III malocclusion groups. Patients' study models, dental files, and dental radiographs were investigated to identify the following dental anomalies: any congenitally missing teeth except third molars (hypodontia), impaction (tooth that remains unerupted after complete root development), ectopic eruption (tooth erupting in a different position than usual), and diastema (space between maxillary central incisors). Moreover, malocclusion in the transverse plane (upper and lower midline, anterior and posterior crossbite), malocclusion in the vertical plane (a deep bite, an open bite), and anterior and posterior crowding in both jaws were also examined. One operator made all the investigations, and then they were rechecked by another orthodontic expert.

Data analysis was done by SPSS 16.0 software (SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinois, United States). Descriptive statistics, along with frequency and prevalence, were performed. The chi-squared test was used to investigate whether the distribution of the patients with dental anomalies differed between the three classes of malocclusion. The level of significance for each comparison was calculated using the Bonferroni correction. The level of chi-squared test significance was set at p < 0.05.


Results

The results focus on the gender-based analysis and the associations of dental planes with specific dental conditions. [Table 1] shows the distribution of dental characteristics by gender reveals. The distribution of dental characteristics by gender and age shows that a higher percentage of individuals over 18 years old are present in both females (83.6%) and males (81.3%), compared with those 18 and younger (16.4% females, 18.8% males).

Table 1

Distribution of dental characteristics by gender

Age

Female

Male

Total

N

%

N

%

N

%

 ≤ 18

62

16.4

45

18.8

107

17.34

 > 18

315

83.6

195

81.3

510

82.66

Association in sagittal plane

N

%

N

%

N

%

Class I

172

45.6

103

42.9

275

44.57

Class II

143

37.9

83

34.6

226

36.63

Class III

62

16.4

54

22.5

116

18.80

Associations in transversal plane

Associations in transversal plane – Upper mid

 Right

36

9.5

16

6.7

52

66.67

 Left

17

4.5

9

3.8

26

33.33

Associations in transversal plane – Lower mid

 Right

9

2.4

9

3.8

18

38.30

 Left

17

4.5

12

5.0

29

61.70

Associations in transversal plane – Anterior crossbite

 Yes

56

14.9

45

18.8

101

16.37

 No

321

85.2

195

81.3

516

83.63

Associations in transversal plane – Posterior crossbite

 Yes

64

17.0

37

15.4

101

16.37

 No

313

83.0

203

84.6

516

83.63

Association in vertical plane

Association in vertical plane – Deep bite

 Yes

114

30.2

76

31.7

190

30.79

 No

263

69.8

164

68.3

427

69.21

Association in vertical plane – Open bite

 Yes

60

15.9

28

11.7

88

14.26

 No

317

84.1

212

88.3

529

85.74

Dental anomalies

Dental anomalies – Hypodontia

 Yes

46

12.2

33

13.8

79

12.80

 No

331

87.8

207

86.3

538

87.20

Dental anomalies – Ectopic

 Yes

98

26.0

58

24.2

156

25.28

 No

279

74.0

182

75.8

461

74.72

Dental anomalies – Impaction

 Yes

47

12.5

33

13.8

80

12.97

 No

330

87.5

207

86.3

537

87.03

Dental anomalies – Diastema

 Divergent

8

2.1

4

1.7

12

1.94

 Convergent

320

84.9

198

82.5

518

83.95

 Parallel

49

13.0

38

15.8

87

14.10

Anterior crowding

Lower arch

 Yes

221

58.6

119

49.6

340

55.11

 No

156

41.4

121

50.4

277

44.89

Upper arch

 Yes

208

55.2

135

56.3

343

56

 No

169

44.8

105

43.8

274

44

Posterior crowding

Lower arch

 Yes

51

13.5

44

18.3

95

15.40

 No

326

86.5

196

81.7

522

84.60

Upper arch

 Yes

43

11.4

33

13.8

76

12.32

 No

334

88.6

207

86.3

541

87.68

In the sagittal plane, the majority of both females (45.6%) and males (42.9%) belong to class I. However, males have a higher proportion of class III (22.5%) compared with females (16.4).

In the transversal plane, the upper midline is predominantly on the right side for both genders, with females (9.5%) showing a higher percentage than males (6.7%). For the lower midline, both genders show a similar distribution, but a slightly higher percentage of males (5%) compared with females (4.5%) have the left side alignment. Regarding anterior crossbite, both genders exhibit a majority without the condition (85.2% of females and 81.3% of males), but more males (18.8%) have anterior crossbite than females (14.9%). A similar trend is observed in posterior crossbite, where males (15.4%) exhibit a slightly higher frequency compared with females (17%).

The vertical plane analysis indicates that deep bite is more common in males (31.7%) than females (30.2%), though the difference is minimal. In contrast, females have a slightly higher occurrence of open bite (15.9%) compared with males (11.7%).

Regarding dental anomalies, hypodontia affects a higher percentage of males (13.8%) compared with females (12.2%). In contrast, the distribution of ectopic and impaction anomalies is fairly balanced between genders, with a slightly higher prevalence in females. Finally, for crowding, both males and females exhibit similar trends, with a higher percentage of females experiencing anterior crowding in both the lower (58.6%) and upper arches (55.2%).

In the sagittal plane and upper midline (transversal plane), the distribution of upper midline alignment (right vs. left) across sagittal classes shows no significant association (Pearson's chi-square = 3.252, p-value = 0.197). While class I predominates in both the right (17) and left (14) midline positions, class II and class III show varying distributions, but none of these differences are statistically significant, as shown in [Table 2].

Table 2

Association of sagittal and transversal planes with dental conditions

Association in sagittal plane

Association in transversal plane – Upper mid

Right

Left

Pearson's chi-square

p -Value

N

%

N

%

3.252

0.197

Class I

17

14

Class II

24

8

Class III

11

4

Association in transversal plane – Lower mid

Association in sagittal plane

Right

Left

Pearson's chi-square

p -Value

N

%

N

%

2.833

0.243

Class I

10

9

Class II

6

14

Class III

2

6

Association in sagittal plane

Association in transversal plane – Anterior crossbite

Yes

No

Pearson's chi-square

p -Value

N

%

N

%

358.818

0.001

Class I

9

266

Class II

5

221

Class III

87

29

Association in transversal plane – Posterior crossbite

Association in sagittal plane

Yes

No

Pearson's chi-square

p -Value

N

%

N

%

16.569

0.001

Class I

42

233

Class II

52

174

Class III

7

109

Note: The level of chi-squared test significance was set at p < 0.05.


In the sagittal plane and lower midline (transversal plane), the lower midline alignment also reveals no significant association with the sagittal plane (Pearson's chi-square = 2.833, p-value = 0.243). Similar to the upper midline, class I and class II tend to be more balanced between right and left, with class III showing the least occurrence in both positions, as shown in [Table 2].

In the sagittal plane and anterior crossbite (transversal plane), significant association is observed between the sagittal plane and anterior crossbite (Pearson's chi-square = 358.818, p-value = 0.001). Class I has the highest occurrence of no anterior crossbite (266 cases), while class III shows a substantial shift, with 87 cases of anterior crossbite compared with only 29 cases without.

In the sagittal plane and posterior crossbite (transversal plane), a similar significant association is seen between the sagittal plane and posterior crossbite (Pearson's chi-square = 16.569, p-value = 0.001). The data presented in [Table 2] indicates that class I and class II have a higher percentage of no posterior crossbite, while class III has a greater percentage of posterior crossbite.

In vertical plane, significant association is found between the sagittal plane and deep bite (Pearson's chi-square = 147.523, p-value = 0.001). Class I malocclusion shows the highest frequency of no deep bite (225 cases), while class II also shows a substantial number of patients with deep bite (135 cases), and class III shows the least prevalence of deep bite (5 cases). [Table 3] indicates a clear correlation between class II malocclusion and the presence of deep bite, with class III showing the least occurrence. In vertical plane, the association between the sagittal plane and open bite is not statistically significant (Pearson's chi-square = 4.812, p-value = 0.090).

Table 3

Association of sagittal and vertical planes with bite conditions (deep bite and open bite analysis)

Association in sagittal plane

Association in vertical plane – Deep bite

Yes

No

Pearson's chi-square

p -Value

N

%

N

%

147.523

0.001

Class I

50

225

Class II

135

91

Class III

5

111

Association in vertical plane – Open bite

Association in sagittal plane

Yes

No

Pearson's chi-square

p -Value

N

%

N

%

4.812

0.090

Class I

31

244

Class II

41

185

Class III

16

100

[Table 4] shows that the association between the sagittal plane and hypodontia is not statistically significant (Pearson's chi-square = 0.330, p-value = 0.848). While the association between the sagittal plane and ectopic is marginally not significant (Pearson's chi-square = 4.261, p-value = 0.119), there is a noticeable trend where class I shows the highest frequency of ectopic eruptions (74 right-sided and 201 left-sided cases), followed by class II and class III.

Table 4

Association of sagittal plane with dental anomalies (hypodontia, ectopic, impaction, and diastema)

Association in sagittal plane

Dental anomalies – Hypodontia

Yes

No

Pearson's chi-square

p -Value

N

%

N

%

0.330

0.848

Class I

33

242

Class II

31

195

Class III

15

101

Dental anomalies – Ectopic

Association in sagittal plane

Yes

No

Pearson's chi-square

p -Value

N

%

N

%

4.261

0.119

Class I

74

201

Class II

47

179

Class III

35

81

Association in sagittal Plane

Dental anomalies – Impaction

Yes

No

Pearson's chi-square

p -Value

N

%

N

%

1.118

0.572

Class I

40

235

Class II

26

200

Class III

14

102

The association between the sagittal plane and impaction is also not statistically significant (Pearson's chi-square = 1.118, p-value = 0.572). The distribution of impaction in the sagittal classifications appears somewhat similar, with no distinct trend emerging across the groups as shown in [Table 4].

[Table 5] shows that the association between the sagittal plane and anterior crowding in the upper arch is statistically significant (Pearson's chi-square = 14.731, p-value = 0.001). Class I again shows the highest proportion of individuals with crowding (162 yes, 113 no), followed by class II (135 yes, 91 no) and class III (46 yes, 70 no). The significant p-value suggests that anterior crowding in the upper arch is strongly associated with the sagittal plane, with class I individuals being most affected.

Table 5

Association of sagittal plane with anterior crowding in upper and lower arches

Association in sagittal plane

Anterior crowding – Lower arch

Yes

No

Pearson's chi-square

p -Value

N

%

N

%

5.317

0.070

Class I

160

115

Class II

127

99

Class III

53

63

Anterior crowding – Upper arch

Association in sagittal plane

Yes

No

Pearson's chi-square

p -Value

N

%

N

%

14.731

0.001

Class I

162

113

Class II

135

91

Class III

46

70

[Table 6] shows that the association between the sagittal plane and posterior crowding in the lower arch is not statistically significant (Pearson's chi-square = 0.264, p-value = 0.876). The distribution of individuals with posterior crowding in the lower arch is similar across the sagittal classifications, with class I showing 41 yes and 234 no, class II with 37 yes and 189 no, and class III with 17 yes and 99 no.

Table 6

Association of sagittal plane with posterior crowding in upper and lower arches

Association in sagittal plane

Posterior crowding – Lower arch

Yes

No

Pearson's chi-square

p -Value

N

%

N

%

0.264

0.876

Class I

41

234

Class II

37

189

Class III

17

99

Posterior crowding – Upper arch

Association in sagittal plane

Yes

No

Pearson's chi-square

p -Value

N

%

N

%

0.353

0.838

Class I

32

243

Class II

28

198

Class III

16

100


Discussion

Extensive research on the prevalence and association of dental anomalies has been performed, but a specific focus on gender and age-based analysis and the relationship of dental planes with specific conditions remains limited. This study focuses on estimating how gender and age influence the distribution and correlation of dental characteristics across sagittal, transversal, and vertical planes. Gender-based comparative studies were included to understand biological differences, such as genetic and hormonal influences, that affect males and females differently.

Our findings demonstrated that there are some gender differences across various dental characteristics. The variations are mostly modest, with females showing slightly higher prevalence in anterior crowding, while males have higher occurrences of posterior crowding and certain anomalies like hypodontia and anterior crossbite.

It was noted in this study that there are more females in the ≤ 18 age group, while the > 18 group has a higher total representation in both genders. A review was done by De Ridder et al,[8] in which the prevalence of malocclusion and different orthodontic features in children and adolescents was reviewed.

Gender-based hormonal differences influence dental anomalies, with male hormones like growth hormones and insulin-like growth factor-1 playing a significant role. These hormones are directly related to structural development. Female hormones like estrogen and progesterone primarily affect gingival and periodontal tissues. A latest study in 2023[9] found 33% of children with growth hormone deficiency developed dental anomalies. Our findings suggest that the prevalence of dental anomalies can vary by gender and population.

The prevalence of class I, II, and III malocclusions were 51.9, 23.8, and 6.5%, respectively, with the anterior crossbite rate at 7.8% and posterior crossbite rate at 9.0%. The prevalence of malocclusion and orthodontic features varies significantly across studies due to inconsistent methodologies. In another study, highest form of malocclusion was class I followed by class II subdivision.[10] In our study, ectopic eruption was the most common dental anomaly, which is opposite to the study conducted in India where rotated teeth was the most common dental anomaly in pretreatment orthodontic patients and another study in Iran where hypodontia was the most common dental anomaly.[11] [12]

In exploring the association of sagittal and transversal planes with dental conditions, our study found no significant associations for both upper and lower midlines. Class I malocclusion was predominant in both the right and left midline positions; however, classes II and III showed diverse distributions with no statistical significance. Contrarily, a significant correlation was seen between the sagittal plane and anterior crossbite with class III malocclusion particularly associated with anterior crossbite. Similarly, a significant association was seen between the sagittal plane and posterior crossbite, where class III malocclusion showed a higher prevalence of posterior crossbite. These findings align with the study of Iodice et al,[13] which reports associations between posterior crossbite and asymmetries in mandibular growth and muscle activity.

According to our current study there is a significant association between sagittal classifications and deep bite malocclusion. Class I malocclusion showing the highest frequency of no deep bite, class II exhibiting a substantial number of patients with deep bite, and class III showing the least prevalence of deep bite. However, the association between sagittal classifications and open bite was not statistically significant. This is similar to the previous study of Rasol et al,[14] who stated that class II malocclusion was significantly associated with deep bite, while association of class III malocclusion with deep bite was less frequent. Moreover, Brown et al[15] reported that open bite malocclusion was not significantly associated with sagittal classification, supporting our data that open bite is not greatly influenced by sagittal classification.

This study revealed that the dental anomalies of hypodontia, ectopic eruption, impaction, and diastema occur independently of sagittal malocclusion types, as no statistically significant associations were seen between sagittal classifications and the dental anomalies. These findings are consistent with existing literature presented by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry's guidelines, which indicate that dental anomalies like hypodontia and ectopic eruption may occur among different malocclusion types.[16] They contrast with the findings of the research by Selmani et al,[17] which suggested an association between third molars and anterior segment crowding.

No statistically significant relationship was observed between the sagittal plane and anterior crowding in the lower arch. While class I shows the highest number of individuals with crowding followed by class II and class III, the p-value indicates that these differences are not statistically significant, revealing contrasting associations. In contrast, the association between the sagittal plane and anterior crowding in the upper arch was statistically significant. Class I had the highest crowding followed by class II and class III. The findings reveal that the anterior crowding in the upper arch is strongly associated with the sagittal plane, particularly in class I cases. The study of Yuvashree et al[18] aligns with our study revealing class I malocclusion exhibit highest prevalence, class II noted to be moderate, and class III showed less severe crowding.

Our findings suggest a uniform distribution of posterior crowding across class I, II, and III malocclusions. Somewhat similar study was done by Crossley et al,[19] who concluded that the size of the mandibular apical base was not related to maxillary or mandibular crowding.


Conclusion

Our study concluded that in Kosovo's population the dental characteristics, including malocclusions and anomalies, are influenced by a combination of factors rather than solely sagittal classifications. There was a significant association between sagittal planes and conditions such as anterior crossbite, posterior crossbite, and deep bite; however, anomalies like hypodontia, ectopic eruption, and diastema occurred independently of sagittal classifications. Anterior crowding in the upper arch demonstrated a significant relationship with sagittal planes, particularly in class I malocclusions, but posterior crowding showed no such association.



Conflict of Interest

None declared.


Address for correspondence

Manushaqe Selmani Bukleta
College of Medical Science, Faculty of Dentistry
“Rezonanca,” Pristina
Kosovo   

Publication History

Article published online:
14 July 2025

© 2025. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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