Mesh diagram analysis: developing a norm for African Americans

The mesh analysis is a proportionate cephalometric analysis that enables a patient to serve as his or her own control to create a template from which to assess skeletal, dental, and craniofacial disharmonies. The norms for this analysis were originally created from a white, European American sample. The purposes of this study were: (1) to create a normal mesh diagram from a black, African American population; (2) to compare mesh diagrams from black and white Americans; and (3) to evaluate the usefulness of a panel of diverse members in selecting subjects. All subjects were black Americans of African descent, had no prior orthodontic treatment, and had Class I dental occlusion with minimal crowding (4 mm or less). The panel selected as esthetically pleasing 18 males and 25 females from a group of 77 patients meeting the study criteria. Male and female normal mesh diagrams were created from the cephalographs and compared with Caucasian normal diagrams developed by Moorrees in 1976. Linear and angular components of the hard and soft tissues were compared. Comparisons were also made with previously published normal values. Differences between the African American and Caucasian samples were more notable close to the dentoalveolar complex. Similarities were limited to the soft tissue of the upper face, the cranial base, and the midface. Analysis of the panel selection results did not suggest any trends between or within race, sex, or occupation of the panel members. However, agreement between the races was good.