Age-Related Changes of the Orolabial Region in Caucasian Women: An Anthropometric Analysis.

PURPOSE: Anthropometric data can provide valuable support for the attending physician in planning surgical and nonsurgical esthetic procedures with regard to a patient's age. The purpose of the present study was to identify age-related orolabial changes in younger and older Caucasian women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the present cross-sectional study, anthropometric landmarks were identified using indirect anthropometry (2-dimensional photometry) in younger (≤35 yr) and older (≥50 yr) Caucasian women to analyze age-related parameters and proportions of the orolabial region, especially of the lower and upper lip vermilion areas. The Mann-Whitney U test was applied to compare the results between the younger and older populations. RESULTS: The study population consisted of 45 women. The cohort was divided into a younger population (24 participants; mean age, 27.4 yr) and an older population (21 participants; mean age, 58 yr) to evaluate age-related differences. Increases of upper lip height, cutaneous height of the upper lip, and cutaneous height of the lower lip were observed in older women. In contrast, the vermilion height of the lower lip decreased significantly with increasing age. CONCLUSION: These results show changes of the orolabial region occur in Caucasian women with increasing age. The statistically relevant decrease of the vermilion height of the lower lip should be given particular attention for (age-appropriate) diagnostic, esthetic, and prosthetic treatment planning.

Analysis of soft tissue display during enjoyment smile. Part II: elder Caucasians.

Esthetic parameters in elder patients are essential in esthetic oral rehabilitation. To date, no study has quantified the amount and frequency of soft tissue display in the papilla area in patients over 50 years of age. Photographic examination of 42 fully dentate patients with a mean age of 59 years was performed during enjoyment smile. Digital processing and measurement of the tooth, gingiva, and papilla display revealed that over 90% of subjects displayed soft tissue in the papilla area of the anterior teeth and first premolar during enjoyment smile regardless of their sex. The frequency of the display in descending order follows: maxillary lateral incisor (96%), central incisor (94%), canine (94%), first premolar (91%), second premolar (85%), and first molar (39%). The mean amount of papilla display was 3.4 mm (0 to 10 mm). There was no significant difference in the amount of papilla display between sexes for anterior teeth, premolars, or first molar (P = .97, P = .79, and P = .48, respectively). Elder caucasians showed significantly less gingiva in the area of the premolars and molars but not in the anterior region. The amount of papilla display is significantly less in elder caucasians in the anterior and premolar region. The mean amount of soft tissue display decreased with age but the frequency of papilla display was more than 90% in the anterior region and greater than 70% in the premolar region, suggesting that pink esthetics is an issue in patients over 50 years of age.