Abstract
Aim:This study aimed at assessing the prevalence and severity of short face pattern in ethnically different individuals.Material and Methods:The sample comprised 4,409 Brazilians (2,192 females and 2,217 males), with a mean age of 13 years, enrolled in secondary schools in the municipality of Bauru. The sample inclusion criteria involved subjects with vertically impaired facial relationship based on excessive lip compression, when standing at natural head position, with the lips at rest. Once short face syndrome had been identified, the individuals were classified into three severity subtypes: mild, moderate, and severe. The sample was then stratified by ethnic background as White (Caucasoid), Black (African descent), Brown (mixed Caucasian–African descent), Yellow (Asian descent), and Brazilian Indian (Native Brazilian descent), using the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics classification. The chi-square test at the 5% significance level was used to compare frequency ratios of individuals with vertically impaired facial relationships and across different ethnicities, according to severity.Results:The prevalence of short face pattern was 3.15%, as 1.11%, 1.99%, and 0.02% considered mild, moderate and severe subtypes, respectively. The severe subtype was rare (0.02%) and found only in one White individual. The White group had the highest relative frequency (45.53%) of the moderate subtype, followed by Brown individuals (43.40%). In the mild subtype, Yellow (68.08%) and White (62.21%) individuals showed similar and higher relative frequency values. Conclusion:The prevalence of short face pattern was 3.15%, and White individuals had the highest prevalence.
Highlights
The short face pattern is determined by facial and skeletal changes that characterize the individual who presents vertical deficiency of the lower third of the face and compressive lip sealing
Short-faced patients may present with various types of malocclusion, such as Class II, Division 2; Class II, Division 1: Class I occlusion with symptoms of Class II, Division 2; and even Class III [11 - 13]
3.15% of the pooled sample exhibited vertical deficiency, 34.94% exhibited vertical excess, and 61.91% met criteria for other patterns
Summary
The short face pattern is determined by facial and skeletal changes that characterize the individual who presents vertical deficiency of the lower third of the face and compressive lip sealing. They present nose breathing and swallow with the mouth closed with no tongue interposition, resulting in intra- and perioral functions which potentially predispose these individuals to normality. The facial structure of short-faced individuals is strong, and the skeleton has a marked radiographic appearance. This is especially true for the mandible, which exhibits a broad ramus, a wide and short symphysis and an expressive chin [9, 14]. In the short face pattern, white fast-twitch fibers (type II) predominate, rather than red (type I) slow-twitch fibers [16]
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