Assessment of the nasolabial angle in young Brazilian black subjects with normal occlusion Verificação do ângulo nasolabial em jovens brasileiros melanodermas com oclusão normal

Black individuals present craniofacial characteristics which differ from those of other races, especially the white race, whose cephalometric analyses are usually considered as the standard in routine orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning. Further studies are therefore needed to enable more accurate and specific diagnoses for this ethnic group. The present study was conducted in order to assess average values for the nasolabial angle in young Brazilian black individuals with normal occlusion, and to assess the occurence of sexual dimorphism. Thirty-six lateral skull, extraoral radiographs from Brazilian black individuals were selected from the archives of the Scientific Recordings Department, Orthodontics Graduate Program, School of Dentistry of Piracicaba, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP). The patients' ages varied from 10 to 14 years, they presented normal occlusion upon clinical examination, and had not been submitted to orthodontic treatment. The cephalometric landmarks from which the nasolabial angle was obtained and measured were traced by a single researcher. Statistical analysis and evaluation of the results led to the conclusion that the nasolabial angle of young Brazilian black individuals is sharper, i.e., the soft tissue profile is more protruded. The average value for the whole sample was 88.14º ± 12.52º. The nasolabial angle was statistically smaller among females (p < 0.05), demonstrating the occurrence of sexual dimorphism.<br>Os indivíduos melanodermas possuem características craniofaciais diferentes das apresentadas pelas demais raças, principalmente por leucodermas que, normalmente, são considerados como padrão nas análises cefalométricas utilizadas rotineiramente no diagnóstico e planejamento dos tratamentos ortodônticos. São, portanto, necessárias novas pesquisas que permitam um diagnóstico mais acurado e específico para esse grupo étnico. Os pesquisadores desenvolveram esta pesquisa com o objetivo de verificar valores médios do ângulo nasolabial em jovens melanodermas brasileiros com oclusão clinicamente normal e de verificar a ocorrência de dimorfismo sexual. Foram selecionadas 36 telerradiografias de cabeça, tomadas em norma lateral, de indivíduos brasileiros melanodermas, na faixa etária de 10 a 14 anos, de ambos os sexos, com oclusão clinicamente normal e que nunca se submeteram a tratamento ortodôntico, provenientes dos arquivos do Setor de Documentação Científica do Curso de Pós-Graduação em Ortodontia da Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba da Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Sobre essas radiografias foram delimitados os pontos e as linhas que dão origem ao ângulo nasolabial, o qual foi traçado e medido por um único pesquisador. Após análise estatística e avaliação dos resultados, concluiu-se que o ângulo nasolabial em indivíduos jovens brasileiros melanodermas apresenta-se mais agudo, ou seja, o perfil tegumentar apresenta-se mais protruso. Os valor médio obtido para a amostra toda foi 88,14º ± 12,52º. O ângulo nasolabial foi estatisticamente menor no sexo feminino (p < 0,05), demonstrando a existência de dimorfismo sexual

Assessment of soft profile characteristics in Amazonian youngsters with normal occlusion

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to determine from a sample of Amazonian youngsters, with normal occlusion, the mean values for soft profile characteristics using cephalometric radiographs obtained in lateral norm. METHODS: The cephalometric radiographs of the 30 youngsters, being 15 males and 15 females, with mean age of 21.6 years old, were assessed. For statistical analysis, central tendencies and dispersion measurements (mean and standard deviation) were used and, for both the comparison of the mean values of males and females and the correlations between the measurements of the soft profile and bony profile, the unpaired Student's t-test was applied. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: After obtaining statistical data, parameters were set based on the cephalometric norms regarding the specialized literature, revealing that all variables presented a normal distribution pattern. There was sexual dimorphism for the following measurements: ANB, NAP, ANS-Me, N-ANS, Sn'-Me', and N'-SN'. Norms were determined for all the assessed measurements. Statistical differences were observed between the norm found in the present study and those found in the specialized literature