Changes in craniofacial size and shape with two modes of orthodontic treatment.

Traditional cephalometric assessments not only provide cursory descriptions of craniofacial form but cannot withstand critical scientific appraisal. A more rigorous technique termed finite element analysis was used in this study. The study was based on lateral cephalographs from age-sex matched patient samples taken before and after the completion of orthodontic treatment. The results showed varying patterns of craniofacial change resulting from orthodontic treatment, compared with a control sample without treatment. These contrasts were shown to vary depending on the datum (nodal) point arrays used to define the component finite elements. The study therefore emphasized that the craniofacial changes resulting from orthodontic treatment are far more complex than envisaged from traditional cephalometric appraisals. These data also indicated the urgent need to investigate further the datum points used to define cephalometric form.