FACIAL PARAMETERS AS SUPPLEMENTARY LANDMARKS FOR DETERMINATION OFVERTICAL DIMENSIONS OF OCCLUSION: DISTANCE ECTOKANTHION - CHEILION

Background: The successful recovery of the functions and the aesthetics appearance of the edentulous patients often is a kind of challenge. The use of correlation between facial parameters could facilitate the determination of the vertical occlusion dimensions. The purpouse of this research was to investigate the interrelation between vertical dimensions of occlusion and distance external ocular angle (Ectokanthion) - labial commissure (Cheilion) among persons with natural dentition. Material and Methods: In the study were examined 120 persons from Bulgarian origin (59 male and 61 female), aged 20 to 25. The head of each and every participant was hold up into position so that the occlusal plane is parallel to the horisontal plane. The teeth were closed in central occlusion. Four reference points were marked: Ectokanthion, Cheilion, Subnasale and Gnathion. The researched distances were measured with the assistance of Vernier digital caliper. Statistical analysis of the obtained data was performed. Results: Moderate correlation was found between the distance Ectokanthion-Cheilion and the vertical occlusion dimension. The dataanalysisshows that coefficients of correlation are: 0.5681 for male and 0.5481 for female. Conclusions: It was found moderate correlation between the distance Ectokanthion-Cheilion and vertical dimensions of occlusion defined between point Subnasale and point Gnathion. The use of distance Ectokanthion-Cheilion as basic point of reference is not reliable, but it could be applied combined with other clinical methods or as part of mathematical models for determination of optimal vertical occlusion dimensions during prosthetic treatment of edentulous patients.