Facial photogrammetric profile measurements and sagittal dental occlusion in the young Congolese Bantu Adult (DRC).

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the present study was to determine, according to the kind of dental occlusion, the profile photogrammetric characteristics of the young Congolese Bantu adult (DRC Congo).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

It was a cross-sectional study, including 302 young Congolese Bantu adults (161 males and 141 females), aged between 18-30 years old. All were in full permanent dentition, out of which 157 in dental normocclusion, 74 in distocclusion, and 71 in mesiocclusion. The included subjects were subjected to anthropometric measurements performed using a photographic tool. The recorded data was analysed using the SPSS 20.0 statistic software for Windows. A general linear univariate model was established to compare the photogrammetric variables according to the gender and the type of dental occlusion. A post-hoc test was performed to specify the level of differentiation between the groups. The level of significance was fixed at P<0.05.

RESULTS

The gender dimorphism was observed for eight out of the seventeen variables, namely the facial angle, the FMA, the naso-labial angle, the Z angle, the convexity angle, E/Ls, E/Li, and H/Li. The majority of the observed differences were found in the dental normocclusion situations. In Class III situation, there was almost no difference between males and females, except for variable E/Ls.

CONCLUSION

The photogrammetric measurements of the face captured the morphological specificities related to the type of dental occlusion and to the gender dimorphism. The expressiveness of the gender dimorphism was more pronounced in the subgroup of subjects in dental normoclusion, a little less in distocclusion, and almost none in dental mesiocclusion. Therefore, profile photographs may be a viable alternative to determine normative values for the facial skin profile of the Congolese subject, and may be used as a reference for the diagnostic and treatment approach.