Changes in the soft tissue chin after orthodontic treatment

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Orthodontics
• Cephalometrics

Background:

• Orthodontic treatment can alter facial morphology.
• Understanding changes in soft tissue chin thickness is crucial for assessing treatment outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate immediate and long-term changes in soft tissue chin contour after orthodontic treatment.
• To identify factors influencing these changes, including sex, age, and facial type.

Main Methods:

• Cephalometric analysis of 60 patients (31 male, 29 female) before, immediately after, and 5 years post-orthodontic treatment.
• Measurement of soft tissue chin thickness at six points around the symphysis.
• Classification of patients by facial type (mesofacial, brachyfacial, dolichofacial).

Main Results:

• Overall soft tissue chin thickness increased post-treatment.
• Males exhibited greater increases than females.
• The dolichofacial group showed a more significant increase compared to other facial types.
• Age, sex, and facial type were identified as key influencing variables.

Conclusions:

• Orthodontic treatment leads to increased soft tissue chin thickness.
• Sex and facial type are significant determinants of chin contour changes.
• These findings contribute to a better understanding of long-term facial changes following orthodontic intervention.