Facial growth indicator

[x]

It seems this can be used to some extent as a measurement of whether the vertical growth of your maxilla is excessively long or falls within the range of normal: http://www.google.com/patents/US5752523

So if you feel like potentially being depressed, give it a shot!  

cliffs for people too lazy to read:

1. get a ruler
2. measure the vertical distance between the incisal edge of one of your maxillary incisors and the most anterior soft tissue point of your nose (the part of the nose that projects furthest from the face)
3. average adult ranges are 36-39 mm for women, 40-44 mm for men. figures that deviate significantly from the averages suggest vertical maxillary excess.

can't say it's the most precise home measurement, but mine looks to be right at the 40 mm mark, give or take a couple mm for imprecision

[Kristen]

So your in the normal then?

[x]

So your in the normal then?

Yes I think so. Not too surprising cause I show normal amount of gum when I smile.


The open bite is suspect though

[CK]

well my gummy smile was easily 1/2 inch before surgery so i know my upper jaw/upper face grew terribly

[x]

well my gummy smile was easily 1/2 inch before surgery so i know my upper jaw/upper face grew terribly

I think superficially we share similar characteristics, but the base of your problem is the maxilla, mine is the mandible

[stupidjaws]

euph i think your problem is not the mandible, but the maxilla that is recessed

[x]

euph i think your problem is not the mandible, but the maxilla that is recessed

well if just my maxilla was recessed, i'd be a typical class iii you know? like this girl:





but my mandible is rotated downward and back like a class ii, so there's a vertical element to it, not just horizontal. the maxilla has an issue too, but it's not causing the rotation of the mandible I think

[stupidjaws]

yeah, true story.

[CK]

does it really matter why? it's not like surgeons are going to incorporate the back-story unless it affects treatment in some way. at this stage what is a doctor going to say? sucks for you?

[x]

does it really matter why? it's not like surgeons are going to incorporate the back-story unless it affects treatment in some way. at this stage what is a doctor going to say? sucks for you?

uh it's directly relevant to the treatment. if the high mandibular plane angle is a result of mandibular growth discrepancy, obviously the maxilla wouldn't be factored into correcting the occlsuion.

what should I get an impaction just cause my face looks long? this isn't an adenoid facies/abnormal growth discussion, it's 100% relevant to treatment decisions

[CK]

abnormal growth is all the same (relatively). if you go to a doctor and present this they arent going to care, trust me. plus this is all just inferences based on superficial appearances, youd have to examine the actual bones to get a truly confident diagnosis.

[stupidjaws]

no it's not. It's not WHY your face is like this that is important to define the plan.

they will measure it correctly (hopefully) anyhow and know what to do , not because it grew too much because of your MOUTH BREATHING or whatever, but because its just too f**kin long....(metaphorically speaking)

[x]

abnormal growth is all the same (relatively). if you go to a doctor and present this they arent going to care, trust me. plus this is all just inferences based on superficial appearances, youd have to examine the actual bones to get a truly confident diagnosis.

yes it is inference, but i ask again: if the length is a result of the mandible experiencing growth discrepancy, then obviously that is relevant cause you wouldn't want to impact a maxilla that grew to it's intended vertical size when the length is in the mandible. you're saying you wouldn't agree with this?

[x]

no it's not. It's not WHY your face is like this that is important to define the plan.

they will measure it correctly (hopefully) anyhow and know what to do , not because it grew too much because of your thumb sucking or whatever, but because its just too f**kin long....(metaphorically speaking)

no one's talking about ___________.

I'm talking about where the excess length is, the mandible or the maxilla. very much relevant to treatment decisions.

[CK]

i can understand the urge to figure out why but at this point a surgeon 99% of the time will not care unless it somehow affects treatment.

theyll perform a cephalometric study and do physical measurements...that's your treatment plan.

jaw surgery is standardized.