Prediction of dental and skeletal relationships from facial profiles in preschool children.

This paper reviews the rationale for assessing the facial profile of the patient with a developing dentofacial complex. The purpose of the study was to assess one method of profile analysis utilizing 4-year-old children. Sixteen orthodontists and 16 pedodontists were asked to classify the existing skeletal or dental relationships solely from a soft tissue profile tracing or from a lateral facial photograph. The analysis of the data indicated that for this age group neither the orthodontists nor the pedodontists could predict accurately the existing skeletal or dental pattern solely from the soft tissue profile tracing or the lateral facial photograph. No significant differences were found between the predictions of the orthodontists and the pedodontists. This investigation notes that even with highly similar dental relationships, much variability in skeletal and soft tissue relationships may occur in preschool children.