Soft tissue profile in white Brazilian adults with normal occlusions and well-balanced faces.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze anteroposterior soft tissue facial parameters for a sample of white Brazilian adults and to compare these measurements with the values proposed for white North American adults.


METHODS
Facial profile photographs were taken of 59 white Brazilians (30 men and 29 women) with normal occlusions and balanced faces with ages ranging from 18 to 30 years. The independent Student's t-test (P < .05) was used to compare the soft tissue parameters of the Brazilians with those of the North Americans.


RESULTS
White Brazilian women presented a less protruded face compared with white American women except for the glabella region. White Brazilian women showed a smaller nasal projection, less protruded upper and lower lips, a more obtuse nasolabial angle, and a smaller projection of the B' point and chin than white American women. Conversely, the two male groups demonstrated less evident soft tissue profile differences, with the exception of the nose projection, which was smaller in white Brazilian men than in white American men.


CONCLUSIONS
A universal standard of facial esthetic is not applicable to diverse white populations. Differences regarding the soft tissue profile features were found between white Brazilians and white Americans. These differences should be considered in the orthodontic/orthognathic surgery diagnosis and treatment plan for white Brazilians together with the patient's individual opinion and perception of beauty.
Scavone
Helio
H
Department of Orthodontics, University of São Paulo City, São Paulo, Brazil. helioorto@uol.com.br
Zahn-Silva
Wesley
W
do Valle-Corotti
Karyna Martins
KM
Nahás
Ana Carla Raphaelli
AC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D002508:Cephalometry; D002680:Chin / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D003766:Dental Occlusion; D004954:Esthetics; D005145:Face / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D005546:Forehead / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D008046:Lip / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D009656:North America; D009666:Nose / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D010781:Photography; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D044465:White People / Q000145:classification