[Maxilla in harmonious face. A cephalometric study in adult Greeks].

Abstract

The purposes of the above research work were to describe a) the normal size of the maxilla and b) the normal sagittal and vertical position of the upper jaw and to define a) the relationship between the sagittal and vertical maxillary position and b) the way in which the variables concerning the size and position of the maxilla correlate in the harmonious faces with normal occlusions. The material of this study consisted of 276 lateral cephalographs of an equal number of adult Greeks (147 males and 129 females) with normal Angle/Class I occlusion and harmonious face. Five variables were measured (one linear, ANS - PNS and four angular, S-N-ANS, S-N-A, N-S-ANS and N-S-A). Maximum, minimum and mean values as well as standard deviations of each of the above variables were calculated. The range of each variable was divided into three groups (15% low, 70% medium and 15% high values). The qualitative relationship was then studied between the following couples of variables: S-N-ANS and N-S-ANS, S-N-A and N-S-A, S-N-ANS and ANS-PNS, S-N-A and ANS-PNS and lastly S-N-A and S-N-ANS. Factorial analysis of correspondences were finally carried out (Benzécri 1973, 1980) which made possible the identification of the way in which the selected variables were correlated. The main results researched were: 1) The maxilla in males is bigger in size. 2) There was not any difference of the sagittal and vertical maxillary position referring o the anterior cranial base between the sexes. 3) The sagittal position of anterior nasal spine is analogous to A point position. 4) Three different types of the maxilla were found within the normal range based on the selected variables. a) Type A2 was characterised by the medium values of the variables. b) Type A1 was characterised by small upper facial height and high values of forward position of points A and ANS. c) Type A3 was exactly the opposite of the A1 characterised by big upper facial height and low values of forward position of the ANS and A points.