Correlations between objective measurements and subjective evaluations of facial profile after orthodontic treatment

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlations between objective measurements and subjective evaluations of post-treatment facial attractiveness. METHODS: Ten orthodontists rated the subjective visual analog scale (VAS) scores of the facial profiles of 95 patients who had undergone orthodontic treatment. Post-treatment cephalograms and photographs were used. Eleven soft tissue measurements and eight maxillary incisor measurements were constructed and analyzed. Correlations between objective measurements and subjective VAS scores were evaluated using Pearson correlation and quadratic regression analysis. RESULTS: The VAS scores of different facial proportions were all correlated with the total VAS score. Among soft tissue measurements, the distances from the upper and lower lips to the E line, H angle, forehead inclination, distance from lower lip to the H line, and pogonion-menton angle were negatively correlated with the VAS scores. The Z angle, with a parabolic distribution, was also correlated with the VAS scores. Among maxillary incisor measurements, the distance from the maxillary incisors to the forehead’s anterior limit line and the angulation of the maxillary incisors to the APo line were negatively correlated with the VAS scores. CONCLUSIONS: Several soft tissue and maxillary incisor position measurements were correlated with facial profile evaluation and therefore might be used to evaluate facial attractiveness.