Changes in facial soft tissue support with and without a maxillary labial flange

Area of Science:

• Dental Prosthetics
• Facial Aesthetics
• Biomechanical Analysis

Background:

• Implant-supported fixed complete dental prostheses (ISFCDP) can impact upper lip support and facial aesthetics.
• Optimizing lip support is crucial for functional and esthetic outcomes in prosthetic rehabilitation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantitatively and qualitatively assess the impact of a prosthetic labial flange on upper lip support and facial aesthetics.
• To evaluate outcomes in both repose and full animation for patients with ISFCDP.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a removable labial flange for existing maxillary prostheses in 20 patients.
• Utilized the 3dMDface system for 3D facial capture and photometric analysis of lip projection and thickness.
• Qualitative assessment by patients, dentists, and laypeople comparing images with and without the labial flange.

Main Results:

• Quantitative analysis revealed significant differences in lip projection and thickness with the labial flange.
• Three-dimensional analysis showed differences in 13 out of 21 landmarks between conditions.
• A majority of patients, dentists, and laypeople preferred images with the labial flange or could not discern a difference.

Conclusions:

• A prosthetic labial flange positively impacts upper lip support and facial aesthetics.
• Clinicians should consider the role of lip support in both animation and repose during treatment planning for maxillary ISFCDP.