Soft Tissue Cephalometric Norms Of Nepalese Adults

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to establish lateral cephalometric soft tissue norms, as determined by the Holdaway and Ricketts soft tissue analysis, of Nepalese adults and compare with those of Caucasians (North Americans), Turkish, and Persians.MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this prospective study with retrospective analysis, 65 digital lateral cephalometric radiographs from Nepalese students with 47 boys and 18 girls, aged ranging from minimum 22 to maximum 30 years, were used to determine the Holdaway and Ricketts soft tissue analysis for Nepalese adults during the period of October, 2009 to March, 2010 in the Department of Orthodontics of Chongqing Stomatology Hospital affiliated to Chongqing Medical University. In this study, seven reference lines were identified and traced according to definitions by Holdaway and Ricketts'2 angular and 12 linear measurements were analyzed.RESULTS: In this fourteen parameters of the analysis Ten parameters came out to be non significant between Nepalese boys and girls where as four parameters i.e. Nose prominence, Basic upper lip thickness, upper lip thickness and inferior sulcus to H-line came out to be significant. In respect to the comparison between Nepalese and Americans, Nepalese norms were found to be significantly different from Americans norms except in the parameters of superior sulcus depth, upper lip strain and soft tissue chin thickness. There were significant differences found between Nepalese and Turkish except in the parameter of Superior sulcus depth. However significant differences were found only in seven parameters out of eleven (Only Holdaway norms) between Nepalese and Persian which were as follows: Nose prominence, Superior sulcus depth, Basic upper lip thickness, Upper lip thickness, Lower lip to H-line, Inferior sulcus to H-line and Soft tissue chin thicknessCONCLUSION: Soft tissue cephalometric norms are specific for each and every ethnic group. The normative data for Nepalese population should be used as a guide for diagnosis and treatment plan for orthodontics in Nepal.