Soft tissue norms: Conventional and based on true vertical in a Lebanese population.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to establish cephalometric soft tissue norms in a Lebanese population of young adults and profile differences between males and females.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety subjects divided into 43 women and 47 men, aged from 18 to 30 years, were selected based on specific criteria. The lateral cephalograms were taken in the natural head position. Holdaway, Steiner, Merrifield, Ricketts, Epker and Fish analyses were applied as conventional analyses. Scheideman, Spradley, Cooke, Arnett, Bergman, Farkas and Viazis analyses were applied as analyses based on the true vertical.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The specific soft tissue measurements of this sample are reported in six grids. The differences between males and females related especially to the lower facial height and lip thickness, which had higher values in males, who also presented a more retruded lower lip and more protruded nasal tip. Women had higher values for mentolabial and frontonasal angles.