An evaluation of the mean cephalometric values for orthognathic surgery for black South African adults. Part 1: Hard tissue.

Maxillofacial and oral surgeons and orthodontists are currently treating an increasing number of black South African patients needing orthognathic surgical procedures. Surgical and orthodontic cephalometric analyses developed for caucasian populations has been shown to be inadequate for other racial groups (Connor and Moshiri, 1985, Briedenhann and Roos, 1988 and Flynn, Ambriogio and Zeichner, 1989). The purpose of this study was to evaluate mean measurements for black South African adults which would be comparable in diagnosis and treatment planning, to the analyses of Burstone et al., (1978) and Legan and Burstone (1980), known as Cephalometrics for Orthognathic Surgery (COGS). Lateral cephalometric radiographs of 15 male and 15 female black South African adults were evaluated for both hard and soft tissue measurements according to parameters of the COGS analyses. The results of this study showed that the cephalometric measurements established for North American caucasians by Burstone et al., (1978) and Legan and Burstone (1980) were at variance to those measurements found in a black South African population group. Thus orthodontic and orthognathic surgical treatment planning for black South Africans may be more relevant if the diagnosis is based on standard measurements specific for this particular racial group.

An evaluation of the mean cephalometric values for orthognathic surgery for black South African adults. Part II: Soft tissue.

In Part I of a two-part study, the mean measurements of hard tissue cephalometric values for orthognathic surgery for a selected sample of black South African adults were compared to the values recorded Burstone et al (1978) for caucasian North Americans and the values reported by Flynn, Ambrogio and Zeichner (1989) for African-Americans. Part II of this study compares the mean soft tissue cephalometric values for orthognathic surgery in black South African adults with the population groups studied by Legan and Burstone (1980) and Flynn et al (1989). Significant variations were found mainly in and around the mouth, the naso-labial angle and the angle of the throat of black South Africans when compared to caucasian North Americans (Legan and Burstone, 1980) and African-Americans (Flynn et al, 1989). The findings of this study may be useful in providing racially specific mean cephalometric values in the planning and treatment of dento-skeletal surgery in black South African adults.

Congenital dermoid cyst of the tongue.

True dermoid cysts of the oral cavity are rare, usually presenting as midline swellings in the floor of the mouth and occasionally elsewhere in the oral cavity. This report describes the diagnosis and management of a congenital dermoid cyst of the lateral aspect of the body of the tongue in a 10-year-old girl. The theories of the pathogenesis of this cyst during embryogenesis of the tongue are also reviewed.