Effect of gender, height and race on orofacial measurements

The aim of this study was to assess the influence of gender, height and ethnicity on anthropometric orofacial measures in the adult population, and the possible correlation between these measures.

Anthropometric orofacial measurements were performed in asymptomatic volunteers, being 56 women and 44 men, aged 19 to 53 years. The measure were: upper lip height (sn-sto); lower lip height (sto-gn); filter height (sn-ls); upper third of the face (tr-g); middle third of the face (g-sn); lower third of the face (sn-gn); and distance between the outer canthus (ex) and cheilion (ch).

All measurements were larger for men than for women. There was a positive correlation between most of the measures. There was no correlation between height and anthropometric orofacial measures, except for the middle third of the face (g-sn) of men, which had a weak positive correlation. Afro-Brazilian subjects presented larger measures for the lower third of the face (sn-gn) and for the distance between the outer canthus (ex) and the left cheilion (ch) than white subjects.

Men have greater orofacial anthropometric measures than women. Height does not seem to have an influence on such measures.