Application of Pont's Index to a Jordanian population.

The aim of this study was to assess the applicability of Pont's Index to a Jordanian population and to compare the results with those obtained from studies of different ethnic subjects. Dental casts of 144 Jordanians (71 males and 73 females; mean age, 15.5 years) with 'normal' occlusions were selected from the records of a random stratified sample of 383 Jordanian schoolchildren in the 10th grade. The mesiodistal widths of the maxillary permanent incisors, as well as intercanine, interpremolar, and intermolar arch widths, were measured directly on the selected dental casts using a digital calliper. An independent sample t-test was used to determine significant differences in tooth and/or arch width values for males and females. Correlation coefficients determined between the measured arch width values and those calculated according to Pont's Index were low in all cases, with r values ranging from 0.25 to 0.39. It was concluded that Pont's Index should not be used to pre-determine ideal arch width values in Jordanian individuals.