effect of vertical skeletal pattern in the buccal corridor area show during posed smile

ABSTRACT

Emergence of soft tissue paradigm in clinical orthodontics has made smile analysis and designing key elements in treatment planning. Smile is an integral constituent of the facial attractiveness of a person. Various factors influence smile. The smile frame work is influenced by gingival display during smiling, incisors display and the buccal corridor space. Buccal corridor area show according to many influences smile immensely. Lateral cephalograms were taken with patient's Frankfort Horizontal plane parallel to the floor, unstrained lips and teeth in centric occlusion. Radiographs were traced. Ratio between lower anterior facial heights to total anterior facial heights were recorded on the patient's data form to establish the vertical skeletal relationship of the patients. This ratio was correlated with the increased or decreased buccal corridor show during posed smile by applying the Pearson correlation coefficient. Data was analyzed on statistical package for social sciences [SPSS version 10]. Descriptive statistics were used. Mean +/- S.D was calculated for age [in years], vertical skeletal pattern value and the buccal corridor area of subjects. The range of ratio of lower anterior facial height to total anterior facial height [in degrees] was 48[degree sign] to 67[degree sign] with a mean of 56.357[degree sign] and standard deviation of 3.59[degree sign]. The relationship of ratio of lower anterior facial height to total anterior facial height [in degrees] with buccal corridor area show [mm] was significant [P-value < 0.05]. The results show that as ratio of lower anterior facial height to total anterior facial height [in degrees] increases the mean buccal corridor area show decreases. Factors effecting buccal corridor area show must be kept in mind since it has an influence in the outcome of treatment. It is paramount to do so since most patients assess the outcome of their treatment by the attractiveness of their smile