Relationship between maxillary midline diastema width and labial frenum attachment in a sample of Nigerian adolescents: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: The maxillary midline diastema is a space between both upper central incisors which is more than 0.5 mm in width, and there are varying factors attributed to its occurrence. Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between maxillary midline diastema width and labial frenum attachment among secondary school students in a Nigerian rural community. The study also assessed the prevalence of maxillary midline diastema and the distribution of labial frenal morphology. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 adolescents in Southwestern Nigeria. Participants were selected using a three-stage stratified sampling technique, and structured questionnaires were employed. Intraoral examination was done to assess the presence of maxillary midline diastema, classify the morphology of the upper labial frenum and measure the width of the maxillary midline diastema. Results: The participants were aged between 10 and 17 years (mean age, 12.69 ± 2.1 standard deviation). The prevalence of maxillary midline diastema was 31.5% among participants with gingival attachment being the most prevalent frenal morphology. Participants with papillary frenal attachments had statistically significant wider maxillary midline diastema than those with gingival frenal attachments (P < 0.05).  Conclusions: Among Nigerian adolescents, there was an association between the type of labial frenal attachment and width of maxillary midline diastema.