Title: Evaluation of facial soft tissue thickness in symmetric and asymmetric subjects with the use of cone-beam computed tomography
Abstract: •In the majority of asymmetric subjects, the menton point shifted to the left side. •Symmetric subjects had both hard and soft tissue symmetry in mandibular posterior area. •Asymmetric subjects had larger hard and soft tissue distances on the deviated side. •Soft tissue thickness was similar between both sides in asymmetric subjects. •Soft tissue thickness does not compensate for underlying skeletal asymmetry. Introduction The aims of this study were to evaluate facial bilateral soft tissue thickness in symmetric and asymmetric subjects and to investigate whether soft tissue compensates for skeletal asymmetry. Methods Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans of 97 subjects were divided into a symmetry group (GSm) and an asymmetry group (GASm). Seven bilateral points were established. Each point involved 3 variables: hard tissue distance (Hard-D), soft tissue distance (Soft-D), and soft tissue thickness (Soft-Th). Measurements were taken from software-generated multiplanar reconstructions. A paired t test was used to assess intragroup differences and an independent t test for intergroup analysis. Pearson coefficient tested correlations between variables. Results In GASm, significant differences were found in all Hard-D and Soft-D measurements, with higher values observed on the deviated side (P <0.01). As for Soft-Th evaluation, results of only 1 reference point presented statistical significance. Intergroup comparison detected significant differences in all Hard-D and Soft-D variables (P <0.01), but no significant differences in Soft-Th. Conclusions Asymmetric subjects presented differences in hard and soft tissue distances between deviated and nondeviated sides, although without affecting soft tissue thickness. It can be concluded that soft tissue does not compensate or disguise an underlying skeletal asymmetry.
Publication Year: 2019
Publication Date: 2019-02-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref', 'pubmed']
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Cited By Count: 19
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