Normative values and sexual dimorphism in aesthetically pleasant profiles, through cephalometric computerized analysis (Ricketts and McNamara)

Abstract

This research aimed at establishing normative values, evaluating sexual dimorphism between cephalometric measurements, and correlating averages for the evaluation of biological compensations that act in the morphology of the facial soft tissue profile; for these purposes, the computerized cephalometric analyses of Ricketts and McNamara were employed. The sample comprised 40 lateral cephalometric radiographs of individuals with aesthetically pleasant profiles. The radiographs were analyzed through the Radiocef program 2.0®, following the indicated cephalometric methods, and, later, Student's t-test and the coefficient of correlation of Pearson were used. For men, the cranial anterior length, upper lip length, effective midfacial length, effective mandibular length, lower anterior facial height and lower pharynx diameter presented significant higher dimensions. For women, the higher averages found were for the lower incisor extrusion and inferior lip protrusion. The masculine sample exhibited a smaller lower anterior facial height than the standardized averages by linear gauging because of the smallest effective mandibular length in this group; the same correlation was not significant for angular values. In both samples the inferior lip protrusion was directly related to the different spatial position of the upper and lower incisors, in their relation with the soft tissues and respective bony bases.