In brachy facial individuals this imbalance is greater and clockwise growth is characteristic of
dolichofacial subjects.14 Outcome of the present research revealed that Saudi males have considerably more anterior face height in comparison with Jarabak's values.
For facial patterns--for every standard deviation on the
dolichofacial pattern side, it opens by 1[degrees].
Buccal inclination of the posterior teeth commonly leads to a clockwise rotation of the mandible and consequently bite opening which are unfavorable in
dolichofacial patients [1].
Ricketts, Bench, Gugino, Hilger and Schulhof (1979) classified facial features into vertical facial patterns (brachy, meso and
dolichofacial) using lateral cephalometry.
Thus, one assumes that a
dolichofacial or hyperdivergent patient presents with a thinner and longer alveolar process in the lower incisor region but that a patient with a brachyfacial growth pattern has a thicker and shorter alveolar process.
The study concluded that brachyfacial subjects over
dolichofacial and mesiofacials provides increased space for full eruption of the mandibular third molars, so decreased mandibular 3rd molar impactions were seen in brachyfacials as compared to the other two groups.
Anterior facial height is increased suggesting a
dolichofacial growth type with weak muscular system.
There are three basic facial biotypes: brachyfacial, mesofacial, and
dolichofacial. Brachyfacial describes a horizontal growth pattern,
dolichofacial a vertical growth pattern (Ricketts, 1960), and mesofacial a well-balanced face with harmonious musculature and a pleasant soft tissue profile (Clark, 2002).
It has been reported that the masticatory muscles of
dolichofacial subjects are less efficient in generating bite force at a particular point on the lever arm, due to reduced mechanics when compared to brachyfacial subjects.
Based on our measurements and calculations, facial types were designated as either
dolichofacial (long face), mesofacial (harmonic), or brachyfacial (short) according to the classification described by Ricketts et al (figure 6).
The extraoral examination (Figure 1) showed that he had a
dolichofacial, symmetrical face and a prognathic mandible with a Class III appearance.
