Dental-craniofacial Characteristics of Southern Vietnamese People with Well-balanced Face on Cephalometric Films and Its Comparison with Caucasians and Northern Vietnamese Population

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate the dental-craniofacial measurements of the Southern Vietnamese people aged 18 to 25 with well-balanced face on cephalometric films. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 60 cephalometric tracings of students (30 males, 30 females). The cephalometric measurements were made on 34 angles, 26 distances, and 4 ratios of skeletal, dental, and soft tissue cephalometric analysis. The mean and standard deviation (SD) of the dental-craniofacial measurements were calculated and compared among male and female subjects and with Caucasian and the Northern Vietnamese population. RESULTS: Among the Southern Vietnamese cephalometric tracing samples, the majority of the linear measurements were smaller in female than in male, while the angular and ratio measurements showed no significant difference. When compared with Caucasians, the cranial fossa lengths, the vertical facial heights, the lengths of maxilla and mandible, and the facial convexity of the Southern Vietnamese people were significantly smaller (P < 0.01), while the upper and lower incisors protrusion, and lip protrusion were larger (P < 0.01). The maxillary and mandibular protrusions, and mandibular rotational patterns were similar between these two groups. When compared with the Northern Vietnamese population, the mandibular plane angle and the upper and lower incisor protrusion of the Southern Vietnamese people were significantly larger (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The dental-craniofacial measurements of the Southern Vietnamese people were different among male and female, and different than those of Caucasians and Northern Vietnamese population. Such differences should be taken into account when considering orthodontic and orthognathic treatment strategies.