Abstract
The cervicomental angle was previously measured by Shimizu in Japanese women in their 20s with the Frankfort plane in the horizontal position and the neck in maximal extension. In the present study, we employed the same measuring method in subjects aged 15 to 64 years to classify the morphology of the neck, to measure the cevicomental angle, and to study changes with aging. The neck was classified as type I when the chin was not doubled and the neck line was clear, as type II when the chin was not doubled and the neck line was not clear, as type III when the chin was doubled and the neck line was clear, and as type IV when the chin was doubled and the neck line was not clear. Measurements of 267 subjects with the Frankfort plane in the horizontal position and the neck in maximal extension showed no correlation between cervicomental angle and age. Subjects were classified as type I, 165; type II, 38; type III, 25; and type IV, 39. The number of subjects, with type I neck shape decreased sharply from 35 to 40 years of age, suggesting that this age group is a border-line where changes with aging of the neck occur. The size of the angle by type was type III < type I < type IV < type II, with the difference between type I and the other types being significant. Our findings disagree with the theories that the angle in the doubled-chined type III is smaller than that in the morphologically beautiful type I and that the cervicomental angle becomes larger with aging. In studying age-related changes of the neck, therefore, evaluation should be made on the basis not of the values measured but of morphology.
