Soft tissue cephalometric norms in Japanese adults

Lateral soft tissue cephalometric standards of Japanese normal adults were developed with the use of Ricketts, Epker, Holdaway, and Legan cephalometric analyses. Cephalometric radiographs of 211 Japanese normal adults were analyzed, and the soft tissue measurements were compared with those of an esthetically pleasant Japanese subgroup and white adult sample. Statistically significant differences were found in the Japanese sample when compared with the white norms. On the other hand, the soft tissue mean values of the Japanese supernormal group were similar to the white norms, with the exception of the nasolabial angle and the lip prominence. Soft tissue cephalometric norms are specific for ethnic groups, but these values should not be interpreted as treatment goals. Normative data represent an aid for the diagnosis and planning of orthodontic treatment and orthognathic surgery.