Evaluation of Facial Soft Tissue Thickness in Normal Adults with Different Vertical Discrepancies

This study aimed to evaluate and compare the soft tissue facial thickness among different vertical skeletal relations in Iraqi normal adults, and to verify the presence of gender difference. Sixty true lateral cephalometric radiographs for Iraqi adults with normal dental, sagittal and transverse skeletal relations were selected from the archive of the Orthodontic department in the College of Dentistry, University of Baghdad. Using SN-MP angle, the sample was divided into three groups each with twenty (10 males and 10 females). The soft tissue facial thickness was measured at different points using AutoCAD program. Gender difference was evaluated by independent sample t-test, while difference among the various vertical relations was determined by one-way ANOVA then Tukey HSD test. Generally, males had thicker soft tissue than females and low angle groups possessed thicker soft tissue in comparison with high and normal angle groups especially in male group.