Analysis of the soft tissue facial profile of Croatians using of linear measurements.

One hundred and ten subjects (52 males and 58 females) between 23-28 years of age with dental Class I occlusal relationship, good soft tissue profile, and Caucasian ethnicity were selected from the population of dental students at the University of Zagreb, Croatia. The soft tissue facial profiles were digitally analyzed using linear (11 vertical and 14 horizontal) measurements made with standardized photographic records, taken in natural head position, to determine average soft tissue facial profile for males and females. The application of Student t-test showed gender dimorphism in most parameters of the labial, nasal. and chin areas. Almost all vertical variables were larger in the males, except the length of the nasal tip, which was larger in females. In the height of the vermilion, no gender dimorphism was observed. The females exhibited shallower labial sulci than the males and their chins were at least as prominent as those of the males. This study showed that male chins are not absolutely more prominent than female chins, but only appear to be such because their labial sulci are deeper.