Validity and reliability of facial profile evaluation in vertical and horizontal dimensions from lateral cephalograms and lateral photographs.

Esthetic profile evaluation was performed by six judges on a random sample of 130 white women. Vertical and horizontal profile evaluations of the subjects' cephalograms were compared with vertical and horizontal profile evaluations of the same subjects' photographic slides. Statistically significant differences were found: Judges sometimes favored the photographic profile and sometimes favored the cephalographic profile. Esthetic treatment goals should be based on facial shortcomings as they are observed clinically or seen on a patient's photograph.