Coincidence of the facial and maxillary dental midlines in the Peruvian population. A cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to determine the percentage of perfect and acceptable coincidence between the facial and maxillary dental midlines in individuals from Peru.

Material and methods: This was a cross-sectional study of a group of Peruvian individuals gathered from private offices in Lima, Peru, from January to June 2024. A total of 279 patients (133 males and 146 females) aged between 18 and 30 were included. We selected patients with permanent teeth up to their second molars, while those with gaps between their front teeth, ongoing or previous orthodontic treatment, or any craniofacial anomalies were excluded. Using a professional camera, we took frontal photographs of the participants at rest and while smiling. The facial morphological index was used to classify facial biotypes into three categories: mesofacial, dolichofacial, and brachyfacial. We then used the PowerPoint program to analyze perfect and accepted coincidence (deviation to either side of up to 2 mm) between the facial and dental midline. The data was analyzed by chi-square tests and binary logistic regression (p>0.05).

Results: Perfect coincidence of the dental midline was present in 23.3% of the cases, while an accepted coincidence was observed in 95.7% of the individuals. When considering facial structure, the percentage of alignment of the maxillary dental midline (perfect or accepted) with the facial midline did not show a significant association (p=0.145, p=0.870, respectively). Furthermore, there were no significant differences in the percentage of alignment between men and women (p=0.241 for perfect coincidence, p=0.322 for accepted alignment).

Conclusions: Most Peruvian individuals assessed had an accepted coincidence (up to 2 mm) between the facial midline and the maxillary dental midline, although it is not always perfect. In these cases, orthodontic treatment is needed for optimal occlusal relationships and stable facial esthetics. Key words:Esthetics, Facial midline, maxillary dental midline, Peruvian.