Ugly duckling stage

# Ugly duckling stage affects:
a) Maxillary anterior teeth
b) Mandibular anterior teeth
c) Both Maxillary and mandibular teeth
d) Cause decrease in vertical height 

The correct answer is A. Maxillary anterior teeth. 

Ugly duckling stage is seen in maxillary central incisor region between 8 -9 years of age. This condition is seen during eruption of permanent canines. The developing canines displaces the roots of central and lateral incisors mesially and causes distal divergence of the crowns of the central incisors resulting in midline diastema. 

This type of malocclusion is not seen in lower arch because lower anteriors erupt almost simultaneously. Also, the path of eruption of mandibular canine is different from that of maxillary canines.

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