Evaluation of the mandibular asymmetry using the facial photographs and the radiographs

Lee, Sul Mi

Abstract

PURPOSE: To assess the relationship between soft tissue asymmetry and bone tissue asymmetry using the standardized photographs and the posteroanterior (PA) cephalometric radiographs in mandibular asymmetric patients. And to clarify that the lack of morphologic balance among different skeletal components can often be masked by compensatory soft tissue contributions.
METHODS
Experimental group consisted of 58 patients whose chief complaints were facial asymmetry, they were taken with standardized facial photographs and PA cephalometric radiographs. Control group consisted of 30 persons in the normal occlusion. The reproducibility of the facial photograph was confirmed by model test. The differences of fractional vertical height and horizontal width from standardized facial photographs and PA cephalometric radiographs were compared and analyzed.
RESULTS
The difference of fractional vertical bone height was 0.63 and fractional vertical soft height was 0.58 in control group, 3.10 and 2.01 in asymmetric group, respectively. The difference of fractional horizontal bone width was 0.52 and fractional horizontal soft width was 0.70 in control group, 2.51 and 1.70 in asymmetric group, respectively. Both soft and bone tissue showed significant difference between control and asymmetric group (p<0.05). The difference of bone tissue was greater than that of soft tissue (p<0.05) in the experimental group but, not in control group.
CONCLUSIONS
Soft tissue components may compensate for underlying skeletal imbalances.