An evaluation of the soft-tissue facial profile in the North American black woman

Abstract

I t has become apparent within the past several years that significant variations do occur among and between individuals of different racial origins. Reports of interracial and intraracial investigations concerning anthropologic, physiologic, psychologic, cultural, genealogic, and various other areas of study are becoming increasingly prevalent in the literature. Among the various races that have been investigated, the black race has been examined to a moderate degree, originally through early anthropologic research and more recently through cultural and genealogic investigations. In the field of orthodontics, the North American black has been examined primarily through radiologic, photographic, and clinical methods, including evaluations of dentoalveolar study models. Of these studies, it is striking that there exists very little formal information fundamentally concerned with an evaluation of facial esthetics in the North American black. With the increasing number of North American blacks seeking professional treatment from the orthodontist, the oral and maxillofacial surgeon, the plastic and reconstructive surgeon, the otolaryngologist, and the maxillofacial prosthodontist, it has become apparent that there is a need to determine what constitutes a pleasing and/or a nonpleasing face for members of the North American black population. This information could become an integral part of the diagnostic armamentarium for these and other professionals who deal both directly and indirectly with changing the natural contours and profile outline of the face. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the responses of several white and black members of the orthodontic specialty to preselected soft-tissue facial profile outlines in the North American black woman. Specific questions examined in this study include: 1. What is the opinion among orthodontists of what is considered a pleasing and/or a nonpleasing facial profile for the adult North American black female? 2. Do profile preferences differ according to the race of the orthodontist? 3. Is there a significant relation between profile preferences and certain facial characteristics and patterns? 4. Upon what criteria are these profile preferences based?