The purpose of this retrospective study was to assess facial and palatal alveolar wall thickness (AWT) in relation to sagittal root position (SRP) of maxillary anterior teeth using CBCT. A total of 102 CBCT images (60 women, 42 men) of maxillary anterior teeth were reviewed. SRP was classified according to Kan’s classification, and AWT was evaluated at coronal (4 mm from the CEJ), mid-root, and apical (2 mm from the apex) levels of the facial and palatal aspects. Sex, age, and tooth type were analyzed as secondary variables. The SRP distribution was 76.6% class I, 11.3% class II, 0.8% class III, and 11.3% class IV. AWT, from thickest to thinnest, was found in palatal apical, then mid-root, then coronal levels, followed by facial coronal, then mid-root, then apical levels. AWT was thickest in SRP class II, followed by classes I and III, and least thick in class IV at all measured areas (P < .05). A significantly higher AWT was associated with class I in central incisors, class II in canine teeth and in men, and class IV in central incisors and canines.
Keywords: alveolar process, alveolar wall thickness, CBCT, dental implants, sagittal root position