Craniofacial cephalometric analysis of Bangladeshi and Japanese adults with normal occlusion and balanced faces: A comparative study

AIMS: To determine the cephalometric norm among Bangladeshi adults and to investigate the differences in craniofacial morphology compared with Japanese and Caucasian normative data. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cephalometric radiographs were obtained from 46 Bangladeshi males (mean age 23.8 years) and 52 Bangladeshi females (mean age 24.6 years). Inclusion criteria were the following: Both parents from the same ethnic group, class-I occlusion with an arch length discrepancy less than 2 mm, overbite and overjet from 2 to 4 mm, balanced face, all teeth present except third molar, no previous orthodontic treatment, and no prosthetic replacement of teeth. Nine angular and five linear measurements were constructed for skeletal hard tissue analysis, four angular and six linear measurements for dental hard tissue analysis, and two angular and seven linear measurements for soft tissue analysis. Mean and standard deviations of measurements were determined for each gender. Polygonal chart and profilogram were made. Independent t-test was used to determine differences. RESULTS: The present Bangladeshi population has a smaller lower face height (P<0.01) and the antero-posterior position of the maxilla and mandible was found to be significantly (P<0.01) more protruded compared with the Japanese and the Caucasian norms. Significantly (P<0.01) more protruded upper incisor, less steep occlusal plane, and thinner soft tissue chin were the characteristics in Bangladeshi adults. CONCLUSIONS: Relative to the cranial base (SN), the maxillo-mandibular complex was more anteriorly placed compared with the Japanese and Caucasian adults. Further, the effective length of the maxilla and mandible was shorter compared with the Japanese and Caucasian adults. These findings should be considered carefully during orthodontic treatment planning of Bangladeshi adults.