ABSTRACT
Anthropometry, a useful method for evaluating craniofacial soft tissues, makes the quantitative description of the face possible. It also assesses the degree of disharmony and imbalance in the growth and development of the face. The aim of this study was to examine the overall common age-related changes of nasomaxillary complex of adolescent boys in northeast Iran. Three- hundred- twelve 12 to 15 year-old boys voluntarily participated in this study. They were divided into three age groups [12-13, 13-14 and 14-15 yearold groups]. Digital photographs of the subjects' faces were taken in Natural Head Position [NHP] frontal and profile views. After determination of the landmarks, nine anthropometric parameters including nasal length, mouth width, alar width, columella width, philtrum height, nasal width, nasolabial angle, nasal root slope angle and nasal index were measured by the Smile Analyzer software considering the magnification ratio of each image. One way ANOVA and Tukey test were used for statistical analyses. Significant differences between the three groups were detected in the mean alar, mouth and philtrum widths, nose length, nasolabial angle and nasal index [P<0.05]. We did not find any significant differences in the mean nasal-root-slope angle and the mean philtrum height between the groups [P=0.29 and P=0.13, respectively]. Aging of the facial profile is not a gradual process; it occurs in spurts and at different periods of life. During the studied time span, significant growth in nose width and nose length was obvious
ABSTRACT
Taking into account the factors related to lip-tooth relationships in orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning is of prime importance. Manual quantitative analysis of facial parameters on photographs during smile and speech is a difficult and time-consuming job. Since there is no comprehensive and user-friendly software package, we developed a software program called [Smile Analyze] in the Department of Orthodontics of Mashhad Faculty of Dentistry for measuring the parameters related to lip-tooth relationships and other facial landmarks on the photographs taken during various facial expressions. The software was designed using visual basic. NET and the ADO. NET was used for developing its Microsoft Access database. The program runs on Microsoft Windows. It is capable of analyzing many parameters or variables in many patients' photographs, although 19 more common variables are previously defined as a default list of variables. When all variables are measured or calculated, a report can be generated and saved in either PDF or MS Excel format. Data are readily transferable to statistical software like SPSS for Windows