title: Vertical facial height and its correlation with facial width and depth: Three dimensional cone beam computed tomography evaluation based on dry skulls.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the present study was to evaluate how vertical facial height correlates with mandibular plane angle, facial width and depth from a three dimensional (3D) viewing angle.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study 3D cephalometric landmarks were identified and measurements from 43 randomly selected cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images of dry skulls from the Weisbach collection of Vienna Natural History Museum were analyzed. Pearson correlation coefficients of facial height measurements and mandibular plane angle and the correlation coefficients of height-width and height-depth were calculated, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mandibular plane angle (MP-SN) significantly correlated with ramus height (Co-Go) and posterior facial height (PFH) but not with anterior lower face height (ALFH) or anterior total face height (ATFH). The ALFH and ATFH showed significant correlation with anterior cranial base length (S-N), whereas PFH showed significant correlation with the mandible (S-B) and maxilla (S-A) anteroposterior position.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High or low mandibular plane angle might not necessarily be accompanied by long or short anterior face height, respectively. The PFH rather than AFH is assumed to play a key role in the vertical facial type whereas AFH seems to undergo relatively intrinsic growth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Craniofacial Growth and Development Dentistry Division of Orthodontics, Kanagawa Dental College, Yokosuka, Japan ; Orthodontic Department of Affiliated Stomatology, Hospital of DaLian University, 935 Changjiang Road, DaLian, China.
authors.forename: Ming Feng
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Takero
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Otsuka
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akimoto
authors.forename: Sadao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sato
keywords: Cephalometry; Cone beam computed tomography; Mandibular plane angle; Maxillofacial development; Vertical face height