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Review
. 2021 Apr;30(S1):61-63.
doi: 10.1111/jopr.13314.

Frankfort Mandibular Plane Angle: Critically Appraised Topic (CAT)

Gary Goldstein  1 , Charles Goodacre  2
Affiliations
Review

Frankfort Mandibular Plane Angle: Critically Appraised Topic (CAT)

Gary Goldstein et al. J Prosthodont. 2021 Apr.

Abstract

Purpose: The objective of this Critically Appraised Topic was to determine the level of evidence relative to the usefulness of the Frankfort mandibular plane angle in prosthodontic treatment.

Materials and methods: The Patient Intervention Comparison Outcome (PICO) mesh heading received zero PubMed references, as did Frankfort Mandibular Plane Angle (FMA) as a determinant for dental occlusion and Frankfort Mandibular Plane Angle as a determinant of the occlusal scheme. Frankfort Mandibular Plane Angle alone received 168 PubMed citations that highlighted 2 DiPietro articles and a third from the orthodontics literature which was a Randomized Controlled Trial not relevant to the PICO. Four others, three prosthodontic and one orthodontic publication, were related to the PICO. A Google search revealed one additional article, which was a narrative review.

Results: Nine articles were related to the search, 2 of which were clinical trials that revealed no evidence to support the use of FMA as a diagnostic test.

Conclusion: Based on the limited data presented above, there is a lack of evidence to support the use of FMA as a diagnostic procedure to predict outcomes, or dictate prosthodontic treatment.

Keywords: Frankfort mandibular plane angle; occlusion; restorative dentistry.

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References

    1. The Glossary of Prosthodontic Terms: ninth Edition. J Prosthet Dent 2017;117(5S):e41
    1. DiPietro GJ, Moergeli JR: Significance of the Frankfort-mandibular plane angle to prosthodontics. J Prosthet Dent 1976;36:624-635
    1. DiPietro GJ: A study of occlusion as related to the Frankfort-mandibular plane angle. J Prosthet Dent 1977;38:452-458
    1. Ireland AJ, Songra G, Clover M, et al: Effect of gender and Frankfort mandibular plane angle on orthodontic space closure: a randomized controlled trial. Orthod Craniofac Res 2016;19:74-82
    1. Karkazis HC, Chai JY: A simplified technique for the clinical measurement of the Frankfort mandibular plane angle. Hell Stomatol Chro 1988;32:169-173

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