The variation of facial soft tissue thickness in Iraqi adult subjects with different skeletal classes (A comparative cephalometric study)

Abstract

Background: The variation of facial soft tissue thickness is an important factor in facial reconstruction and superimposition methods in forensic dentistry as well as for orthodontist and plastic surgeons because they provide the basis for quantification and repeatability. The purpose of this study was to compare facial soft tissue thickness of Iraqi patients with different types of skeletal relations. Materials and method: Lateral cephalometric study was conducted on 60 adult Iraqi patients with normal vertical dimensions (diagnosed clinically and radiographically as SN-Mandibular Plane angle 28○-36○), aged 18-30 years, classified according to skeletal sagittal relationship using ANB angle into three groups (each group consist of 10 male and 10 female subjects): Class I group (ANB2-4○), Class II group (ANB>4○) and Class III group (ANB<2○). Cephalometric analysis of soft tissue thickness was achieved by 10linearmeasurements using AutoCAD program 2007. Results and Conclusions: This study showed that the facial soft tissue thickness measurements were significantly higher in male than in female in almost all measured midline landmarks, in comparing the three skeletal relation groups, Class III group show the highest readings when compared to Class I and Class II, Class II show the lowest results among the three groups (except for the labiomental fold area and pogonion area), while Class I group lies between the other two groups for all the measured values.