title: Correlation between nasal width and maxillary incisal alveolar width in post-natal facial development.
abstract: The paired nasomedial processes of the prenatal developing face contribute to the formation of the nasal region as well as the alveolar segment of the maxillary four incisors. The objective of this investigation was to determine whether or not there is a common anatomic relationship between the transverse nasal dimension and the corresponding transverse alveolar dimension that is continued in the post-natal period. The corresponding transverse dimensions were measured on a longitudinal series of 120 A-P cephalograms. In addition, A-P cephalograms of 24 dried skulls and also of 19 individuals having severe craniofacial malformations were analysed. The mean difference between the nasal dimensions and the corresponding alveolar dimensions ranged from 0.14 to 1.72 mm in the various groups. However, the statistically significant correlation coefficients between the measured dimensions were low (range r = 0.36-0.57). The developmental stage did not affect this relationship. Crowding was not found to be a major factor explaining the variability, although sex was seen as a significant factor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, Hebrew University-Hadassah Faculty of Dental Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Brin
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Hom
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Enlow
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000473:pathology; D008437:Maxilla / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development*; D008445:Maxillofacial Development; D009295:Nasal Bone / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development*; D012737:Sex Factors; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous