Soft-tissue cephalometric norms for the Lambada population in Telangana Region of Andhra Pradesh.

Introduction: Facial contours were traditionally considered to be the result of positioning of underlying hard tissue followed by the soft tissue. However, current trend shows a paradigm shift from the conventional hard tissue analysis to also include both hard- and soft-tissue analysis. The objective of our study was to determine the soft-tissue cephalometric norms for the Lambada population, to define gender differences and to correlate the variables, skeletal convexity (SC), and H angle (HA). Materials and Methods: Fifty subjects of Lambada ethnic group between 18 and 26 years old, grouped into 25 males and 25 females were taken. Their lateral cephalograms were obtained and analyzed using Holdaway's analysis. Descriptive statistics and the student's t-test were used. Results: Soft-tissue facial angle (SFA), superior sulcus depth (SSD), lower lip to H line (LL-H), and soft-tissue subnasale to H line (S-H) were well within the range given by Holdaway. The variable, lip strain showed that the upper denture is protrusive (P<0.001). Skeletal convexity and HA were significantly correlated in the female sample. HA revealed that a slightly more protrusive profile was acceptable for this ethnic group. Conclusion: Although established Caucasian norms are applicable to the Lambada ethnic tribe, few parameters like basic upper lip thickness (ULT) and upper lip strain (ULS), skeletal convexity, inferior sulcus to H line (LS-H) were significantly different. The male group exhibited straighter profile, thicker lips, prominent nose, deep mentolabial sulcus, and a prominent chin than females. The differences could be considered in diagnosis and treatment planning for orthodontic practice and for orthognathic surgery.

Perception differences of altered dental esthetics by dental professionals and laypersons.

Background: When we smile, our smile could often become the target of close scrutiny by the person you are smiling at. A trained eye readily detects any asymmetricity or any aspect of that smile which may be out of balance, or disharmonious with its environment. The purpose of this study was to determine whether any such asymmetric or symmetric dental discrepancies were detectable by various groups of evaluators. Aims: The aim was to determine whether asymmetric and symmetric anterior dental discrepancies were detectable by orthodontists, general dentists, and laypersons, and to establish threshold levels for several specific aesthetic criteria that could be used by orthodontists and general dentists as an aid in the treatment planning. Materials and Methods: Three images of smiles were intentionally altered with a software-imaging program. The alterations involved the crown length, crown width, midline diastema, and the papillary height of the maxillary anterior teeth. These altered images were then rated by groups of general dentists, orthodontists, and laypersons using a visual analog scale. Statistical analysis of their responses resulted in the establishment of threshold levels of attractiveness for each group. Results: The orthodontists were more critical than the general dentists and laypersons when evaluating asymmetric crown length discrepancies. All three groups could identify a unilateral crown width discrepancy of 2.0 mm. A small midline diastema was not rated as unattractive by any group. Reduction of papillary height was generally rated as less attractive. Conclusions: Asymmetric alterations make teeth more unattractive not only to the dental professionals, but also to laypersons.