Vertical facial height and proportions of face in Hausa - Fulani children in Northern Nigeria.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To determine the vertical facial height and proportions of face in Hausa-Fulani children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 100 subjects aged 11-13 years of Hausa-Fulani ancestry and with no previous orthodontic treatment were selected for the study. Lateral cephalometric radiographs were traced and measurements made to produce values for-Upper Anterior Facial Height (UAFH), Lower Anterior Facial Height (LAFH), Lower Posterior Facial Height (LPFH), and Total Posterior Facial Height (TPFH). From these measurements the various ratios were then derived. RESULTS: The range of normal values in both sexes for UAFH =53.1-57.8mm with a mean value of 55.8+/- 3.9mm LAFH =67.6- 73.8mm with a mean value of 70.7 4.9mm;LPFH =42.0-47.7mm with a mean of 44.7+/-4.6mm; TPFH=73.0- 80.7mm with a mean value of 44.7+/-4.6mm; TPFH= 73.0-80.7mm with a mean value of 76.7+/-6.0 mm. UAFH/TAFH was 44.2% for males and 44. 1% for females. LPFH/TPFH was constant (58.4%) for both sexes. TPFH/TAFH was 61.5% for males and 63.0% for females. CONCLUSIONS: Vertical facial height and proportions of face among Hausa-Fulani children differ from those of other ethnic groups and should be used in orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning in Hausa-Fulani children.