Facial morphology and malocclusions

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine whether sagittal and vertical aberrations in intermaxillary incisal tooth and jaw relationships were reflected in facial morphology. One hundred seventy-two children (79 girls and 93 boys), 12 to 14 years of age, were selected from the Orthodontic Department, University of Giessen. Pretreatment profile and frontal facial photographs as well as profile roentgenograms in centric occlusion for each child were made. The method consisted of (1) a personal appraisal of the existing incisal tooth and jaw relationship by visual inspection of facial photographs, (2) a validity assessment of these personal appraisals, and (3) a comparison of linear and angular measurements made from facial photographs and from lateral headfilms. The result of this investigation revealed that a large overjet and a Class II, Division 2 incisal tooth relationship were most often reflected in the face. A Class III incisal tooth relationship and an open bite, however, were difficult to detect. Sagittal maxillary and mandibular positions could only occasionally be determined on the basis of facial appearance, while a Class II jaw base relationship (large ANB angle) could easily be seen. The vertical jaw relationship (mandibular plane angle and anterior facial height index) could be determined with relatively high precision. When the measurements from the facial photographs were compared with those from the lateral headfilms, moderate to high correlations were found between skeletal and soft tissue readings: ANB angle (r = +0.63), mandibular plane angle (r = +0.93), and anterior facial height index (r = +0.86). It was concluded that sagittal and vertical dental and skeletal intermaxillary malrelationships were only partly reflected in the face.