Wearing complete dental prostheses - Effects on perioral morphology

To adequately perform rehabilitation of edentulous patients by a complete removable dental prosthesis (CRDP) is from basic interest to dentists to understand the morphologic changes caused by re-establishment of a physiologic jaw relationship. Anthropometric analyses of standardized frontal view and profile photographs may help elucidate such changes.

Photographs of 31 edentulous patients were compared in relaxed lip closure and after insertion of a CRDP in stable occlusion. 2232 anthropometric distances were raised. Eighteen anthropometric indices reflecting the perioral morphology and its integration in the vertical facial harmony were investigated.

The intercanthal - mouth width index (p>.001), medial - lateral cutaneous upper lip height index (p=.007), lower vermilion contour index (p=.022), vermilion - total upper lip height index (p=.018), cutaneous - total upper lip height index (p=.023), upper lip - nose height index (p=.001), nose - upper face height index (p=.002), chin - mandible height index (p=.013), upper lip - mandible height index (p=.045), nose - lower face height index (p=.018), and nose - face height index (p=.029) showed significant pre- to post-treatment changes.

The investigated anthropometric indices presented reproducible results related to an increase in occlusal vertical dimension. Their application may be helpful in assessment, planning, and explanation of morphologic effects of CRDPs on the perioral and overall facial morphology, which may helps to improve the aesthetic outcome.