Correlation between transverse and vertical measurements in Brazilian growing patients, evaluated by Ricketts-Faltin frontal analysis.

INTRODUCTION Currently in orthodontic diagnosis, besides the lateral cephalometric analysis which evaluates the anteroposterior and vertical direction, the frontal analysis may be added, leading us to another important dimension in space: the transverse dimension. OBJECTIVE Few longitudinal samples with the frontal radiograph were published, so this cephalometric study was designed to correlate the transversal and vertical measures by Ricketts-Faltin frontal analysis into two radiographic times. METHODS The sample consisted of 45 Brazilian children, 25 girls and 20 boys, all presenting mixed dentition, with balanced facial aesthetics and no previous orthodontic/orthopedic treatment. The initial average age (T1) was 7.7 years and the final (T2) 13.3 years. The measurements evaluated were: FTD, MxTD, NTD, LITD, MdTD (transversal), OVD and TVD (vertical). RESULTS All transversal measures were positively correlated with a medium or high correlation with each other and the vertical measurements; only LITD presented a low correlation with these measurements. CONCLUSIONS It was concluded that the face has interdependent regions and that this feature remains with growth.