Soft tissue photographic analysis of the soft tissue profile in a Pakistani population sample

Aim: to determine the soft tissue linear and angular measurements of skeletal class-i patients and gender dimorphism from the selected sample. methods: this descriptive study was carried out at orthodontics department,de' montmorency college of dentistry/punjab dental hospital,lahore between 2006 to 2007. the sample comprised of subjects within age 16 through 20 years. all subjects had class i dental and skeletal relationships,competent lips with normal over-jet and over-bite. lateral photographs of all the subjects were taken at natural head position. a total 22 parameters were evaluated which included 8 linear measurements four canut's linear measurements six linear horizontal measurements four angular measurements. results: in the study of facial heights [superior facial third (tri-g),middle facial third (g-sn),inferior facial third (sn-me)],the similarity between the inferior facial third (sn-me: males 40.5±0.123 mm and females 39.9±0.09 mm) and the middle facial third was observed. however,in the superior third (tri-g: males 40.5±3.6 mm and females 39.9±3.1 mm),sexual dimorphism was not found nor were the facial thirds proportional with the other thirds. conclusion: concluded,that profile depends on age,gender and ethnic group of that individual.