Gender based cephalometric soft tissue analysis among class II malocclusion patients visiting University Dental Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan

Objectives: The purpose of study was to determine the cephalometric soft tissue characteristics of class II malocclusion among patients visiting a teaching dental hospital in Lahore and to assess gender dimorphism among this study population.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Department of Orthodontics at University Dental Hospital, Lahore. Data for study was collected from records of patients who reported for orthodontic treatment from July 2012 to December 2012. Healthy subjects of Pakistani origin with fully developed permanent dentition were selected. Patients who presented with history of any dental extraction or orthodontic treatment were excluded. Exclusion criteria also comprised of subjects suffering from TMJ disorder, cleft lip and palate or any kind of oro-facial syndrome. The method involved tracing and evaluation of lateral cephalographs of subjects exhibiting class II malocclusion. Cephalometric analysis with seven angular and seven linear measurements was used to determine soft tissue pattern.
Results: The study included a total of 40 participants comprising 20 males and 20 females with age range 15–30 years. The mean age of males and females was 16.88±4.702 years and 16.53±4.458 years respectively. For angular variables, no statistically significant differences were found between males and females except soft tissue profile angle. Females showed significantly larger soft tissue profile angle when compared to males (p-value < 0.05). All linear variables showed no differences between males and females except total facial height, lower facial height and nasal length. These three linear variables were significantly larger in males as compared with females (p-value <0.05).
Conclusions: It was concluded from the study that no statistically significant gender dimorphism exist in the sample other than soft tissue profile angle, total facial height, lower facial height and nasal length.