Assessment of facial form modifications in orthodontics: proposal of a modified computerized mesh diagram analysis

A modified computerized mesh diagram analysis enables rapid, easy, and independent quantifications of facial size, shape, and head position. A lateral cephalometric radiograph is traced, positioned in natural head position (NHP) according to the NHP registered on a lateral photograph, and superimposed by the standard grid of rectangles determined by the patient's upper face height and face depth. The patient's tracing is compared with a reference tracing of a norm. The two tracings are registered at nasion in NHP, and the size difference of the patient's mesh rectangles from the norm is quantified by a size normalization. The shape discrepancies are evaluated by calculating relevant displacement vectors for each cephalometric landmark, and a global difference factor. This computerized method provides a rapid graphic evaluation of the patient's sagittal and vertical discrepancies and can also be applied to determine the effects of orthodontic therapy and/or growth on the skeletal and dental relationships in a single patient.