Changes in facial profile of young adults with normal occlusion: a longitudinal study.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate longitudinally the cephalometric changes in the facial profile of young adults.


METHODS
The sample was composed of 27 individuals of both genders who presented with Class I and normal occlusion; the initial mean age was 21.2 years. After a mean period of 7.2 years, patients were re-evaluated. All measurements were carried out via digitalized lateral cephalometric radiographs. One calibrated operator identified the cephalometric landmarks. Software was used to take linear and angular values; the mean dimensions were used for data. The evaluated measurements were nasal depth, soft pogonion thickness, upper and lower lip thickness, upper and lower lip position in relation to the esthetic plane of Ricketts, facial convexity including the nose, and facial convexity excluding the nose. The paired t test was used to evaluate the changes.


RESULTS
Data indicate that the nose depth increased by a mean of 1.07 mm. The soft pogonion thickness and the lower lip thickness increased a mean of 0.51 mm and 0.55 mm, respectively, and the facial convexity excluding the nose decreased 0.72 degrees. Only the facial convexity including the nose was different between the genders, with greater values for the male subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
Facial profile changes throughout the third decade of life; in the present study, these changes were statistically significant for nose depth, observed in both sexes.
State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Raquel Hallack Wildberger
RH
Tibana
Lisiane Meira
LM
Palagi
Mário Sérgio Alves
MS
Carneiro
Marco Antônio
MA
Almeida
José Augusto M
JA
Miguel
D000328:Adult; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods; D002680:Chin / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D003766:Dental Occlusion; D005145:Face / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D007180:Incisor / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008046:Lip / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008437:Maxilla / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D009295:Nasal Bone / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D009666:Nose / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D012737:Sex Factors