Some facial features and their orthodontic implication

Abstract

In a brief summary of the essential points aimed at, it may be stated: 1. 1. That according to prevailing notions among orthodontists a face is normal when its dentition is in normal occlusion and, conversely, a face is abnormal when its dentition is in malocclusion. The inference is that orthodontic treatment changes the abnormal face to the normal as the dentition is restored to normal occlusion from malocclusion. 2. 2. That what is meant by a normal face is usually just taken for granted because it was at no time clearly defined. 3. 3. That a systematic metrical study of facial features of sixty-two young adult white males with full complements of teeth in normal occlusion reveals the fact that their faces are extremely variable. 4. 4. That in order to understand the nature of facial variation, it is essential to have a standard measure to determine what is normal and what is not normal. 5. 5. That by the use of the standard described, it is found that the dimensions of the facial features studied in the group with normal occlusion are not all normal. The proportion of those features which are normal to those which are not normal is on the whole approximately 2:1. In faces with dentitions in Class II Division 1 and Class III, it is extremely variable, ranging from 4:1 to 1:2. 6. 6. That dimensions of facial features which are not normal are found to be of two sorts. One comprises those dimensions which are larger and the other those which are smaller than normal. 7. 7. That in some facial features, the number of anormal dimensions which are larger is equal to those which are smaller than normal; that is, they are symmetrically divided. 8. 8. That equally or symmetrically divided dimensions have little significance beyond the fact that they are larger or smaller than the normal and that they are as likely to be the one as the other. 9. 9. That when unequally or asymmetrically divided, the dimensions of those features which are not normal indicate certain trends; that is, they are more often either larger or smaller than the normal. 10. 10. That asymmetrical division is to be noted both in dimensions of faces with dentitions in normal occlusion and in faces with dentitions in Class II Division 1 and Class III malocclusion. 11. 11. That in faces with dentitions in normal occlusion, the asymmetries are very slight while in those with malocclusion they are very marked. 12. 12. That as the asymmetries become more unbalanced, they clearly indicate (a) the differences between the same features in faces with dentition in normal occlusion and malocclusion and (b) the differences between features of faces with dentitions in Class II Division 1 and Class III malocclusion. It is thus clear that the use of the described “standard” provides a measure which greatly reduces the confusing intricacies of facial variation and simplifies the practical problem of appraising faces for orthodontic needs.