Differentiation between maxillary and malar midface position within the facial profile

Abstract

Aims To define midfacial position differentiating maxillary and zygomatic regions and to evaluate the corresponding cephalometric characteristics discerning midfacial flatness and fullness. Material and Methods A total of 183 pretreatment lateral cephalometric radiographs of non-growing orthodontic patients (age 25.98 ± 8.43 years) screened at our university orthodontic clinic. The lateral cephalographs of the orthodontic patients were stratified in four groups: flat, normal toward flat, normal toward full, full,according to distances from nasion and sella to points J and G (NJ, SJ, NG and SG). J is the midpoint of the distance connecting orbitale to point A, and G the center of the triangle connecting orbit, key ridge and pterygomaxillary fissure. Statistics included the Kendall tau-b test for best associations among measurements. Results All measurements were statistically significantly different between flat and full groups. The highest associations were between NJ and SJ (τb = 0.71; p < 0.001) and NG and SG (τb = 0.70; p < 0.001). Flat midfaces were characterized by canting of the cranial base and palatal plane, hyperdivergent pattern and maxillary retrognathism. The opposite was true for fuller midfaces. Conclusion Midface skeletal location was assessed differentially in the naso-maxillary and malo-zygomatic structures differentially. Craniofacial characteristics were identified according to this stratification, indicating the potential for application in facial diagnosis and need for testing on 3D cone-beam computed tomography images.