Abstract
We previously reported, based on the results of questionnaires, that facial features of Japanese with high scores of dissatisfaction were the nose, eyelids, cheekbones and teeth. The feature with the highest score of dissatisfaction was cheekbones. The purpose of the present study was to elucidate the morphological characteristics of cheekbones and soft tissues in orthodontic patients who have various skeletal malocclusions. The selected subjects were 64 females aged from 16 to 56 years (average age: 24 years and 5 months). Measurements were made using computed radiography cephalograms of the angles of the SNA, SNB, ANB, U1 to FH and distances from the midfacial line, pronasale, subnasale and edge of the upper incisor to the zygomatico-alveolar crest, nasal notch and Y line. The following results were obtained: 1. The antero-posterior positions of the pronasale, subnasale and midfacial line were significantly related to the SNA and SNB. 2. The sagittal position of the edge of the upper incisor affected the sagittal position of the midfacial line. 3. The antero-posterior position of the midfacial line did not depend on ANB. 4. The thicker the soft tissue from the zygomatico-alveolar crest or nasal notch to the midfacial line was, the greater was the distance from the zygomatico-alveolar crest or nasal notch to the pronasale.
