Effects of age and gender on upper airway, lower airway and upper lip growth

The aim of the present retrospective study was to evaluate the influence of age and gender on upper and lower airway width and upper lip length. In this study, 390 lateral cephalograms were divided into 13 age groups (ranging from 6 to 18 years) and were analyzed. The intergroup differences were analyzed using a MANOVA (Multivariate Analysis of the Variance), and the intragroup differences were analyzed using an ANOVA (Analysis of the Variance) and Tukey's test. The results of the present study indicated that although the airway width and the upper lip length increased with age, the lower airway width exhibited variable growth between the ages of six and eighteen years. The airway width was significantly greater in females than males, whereas the upper airway width was similar between these two genders. The lip length was significantly shorter in females than males. The lower airway width and upper lip length were significantly different between males and females, whereas the upper airway width was similar for the genders. The upper airway width and upper lip exhibited incremental growth between the ages of six and eighteen years. The upper lip closely followed the growth pattern of the upper airway width; the growth plateaued between the ages of 6 and 9 years, increased from 9 to 16 years and plateaued from 16 to 18 years.

Análise do comprimento do lábio superior e da exposição dos incisivos superiores após o tratamento ortodôntico / Analysis of upper lip lenght and upper incisor exposure after orthodontic treatment

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi analisar a exposição dos incisivos superiores, a projeção e o comprimento do lábio superior ao inicio e ao final do tratamento ortodôntico, bem como correlacionar as possíveis alterações encontradas nestas estruturas. Para isto, foram selecionadas 13 Documentações ortodônticas de pacientes dos gêneros masculino e feminino, brasileiros, leucodermas, com idades entre nove e 16 anos, tratados com extrações dos quatro primeiros pré-molares. Os pacientes da amostra foram selecionados subjetivamente por meio das suas fotografias de frente e de perfil, nas quais se observaram, visualmente, alteração favorável da posição do lábio superior ao final do tratamento ortodôntico. Foram desenhados e analisados os cefalogramas sobre as telerradiografias em norma lateral de cada paciente. As médias das medidas obtidas ao inicio e ao termino do tratamento ortodôntico foram analisadas por meio do teste t de Student para dados pareados e adotou-se o nível de significância de 5%. Após a analise estatística dos valores encontrados, conclui-se que, ao final do tratamento, houve diminuição, estatisticamente, significativa da exposição dos incisivos superiores e da projeção do lábio superior. Não houve aumento, estatisticamente, significativo do comprimento do lábio superior. Correlação positiva, estatisticamente, significativa foi encontrada entre a projeção do lábio superior e a exposição dos incisivos superiores e o comprimento do lábio superior.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the upper incisor exposure, the upper lip protrusion and the vertical upper lip length after orthodontic treatment and to correlate any changes in these structures. Thirteen records were obtained from male and female Brazilian patients, age 9-16 years, who were leucoderms, with the extraction of the four first bicuspid teed. Front and lateral photos were used to select the patients in which a positive retraction of the upper lip was observed at the end of the orthodontic treatment. Initial and final cephalograms of each patient were designed and analyzed and the t test used to analyze the average of the initial and final measures. The findings of this investigation revealed a statistically significant decrease of the upper incisor exposure and upper lip projection. No statistical changes were found in the length of upper lip at the end of treatment. Positive correlation statistically significant was observed between the upper lip projection and upper incisor exposure. Negative correlation was observed between the upper lip projection and the upper lip length and between the upper incisor exposure and upper lip length.