Correlation of maxillary anterior tooth width with facial dimensions in a Yemeni subpopulation: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

In restorative and prosthetic dentistry, an aesthetic smile is strongly dependent on the harmonious interaction between maxillary anterior teeth and facial proportions. Although similar associations have been studied in various populations, data from Yemeni adults remain limited. This study aimed to analyse the correlation between the mesiodistal width of maxillary anterior teeth and key facial measurements in a sample of Yemeni adults and evaluate the influence of age and gender on this relationship. A cross-sectional anthropometric study was conducted on 170 Yemeni adults (85 males and 85 females) aged 20–41 years, recruited from Hodeidah City, Yemen, between April and October 2025. Dental measurements were obtained intraorally by using digital callipers. Facial parameters (bizygomatic width [BZW], interpupillary distance [IPD], inner and outer canthal distances, interalar width [IAW], intercommissural width [ICW] and philtrum width [PW]) were measured via standardised digital photography and analysed with ImageJ software. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, normality tests (Shapiro–Wilk), Mann-Whitney U tests, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests and Spearman’s rank-order correlation. A significance level of p < 0.05 was adopted for all analyses. Results showed high bilateral symmetry in the mean mesiodistal widths of maxillary anterior teeth, with no significant differences between sides (p > 0.05). Males had significantly larger tooth dimensions than females (p < 0.001), whereas age had a negligible effect on measurements, with only the left central incisor differing between the younger (20–31 years) and older (32–41 years) groups. Males also showed greater BZW, IPD and ICW than females, whereas females demonstrated a larger outer canthal distance and PW than males. In the combined sample, BZW (r = 0.249, p < 0.001) and IPD (r = 0.238, p = 0.002) were positively correlated with the combined width of anterior teeth, whereas PW showed a negative correlation (r = −0.291, p < 0.001). Correlation patterns varied by age and gender, with notable negative associations in males and positive associations in females for specific factors. The dimensions of maxillary anterior teeth in a Yemeni sample from Hodeidah City exhibited significant gender-based variations. Crucial facial measurements, particularly BZW and IPD, demonstrated statistically significant but weak correlations with anterior tooth width, accounting for only a small fraction of the observed variation. These measurements may serve as supplementary anthropometric references rather than reliable independent predictors. The considerable variability among gender- and age-specific subgroups limits the generalisability of these correlations, and a gender-specific, customised approach to prosthetic tooth selection is recommended.