RESUMO
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To ascertain norms in cephalometry for 11- to 13-year-old Lingayat children in natural head position (NHP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Lateral cephalograms of children were obtained by using fluid level device. We determined the variance in Frankfort horizontal plane (FHP) inclination to extracranial horizontal in NHP. The G*Power, version 20 for Windows was used for analysis. RESULTS: Reduced facial convexity was observed when the analysis was carried out in relation to true horizontal with significant difference of "t" value of 3.05 and percentage difference of 1.1 (P < 0.01) and for girls "t" value of 9.69 and percentage difference of 2.5 (P < 0.001). The highest correlation coefficient for Lingayat boys (r = 0.77) was seen between palatal plane and occlusal plane. We found least correlation coefficient among FHP and Sella-nasion plane (SNP). The coefficient was r = 0.62 and correlation coefficient of r = 0.70 was between FHP and determination coefficient r 2 = 0.38 or 38%. For girls, highest correlation coefficient of r = 0.70 was seen among FHP and palatal plane. CONCLUSION: Conventional study of craniofacial forms of Lingayat children showed the average skeletal pattern as Class II with retrognathic mandible in comparison to Caucasians. However, when seen in NHP by new method of analysis based on the true horizontal, the skeletal model was Class III in comparison to Caucasians.
RESUMO
Head positions can be oriented in a standardized position when the patient stands upright and focusses his/her eyes into a point in infinity. This is the natural head position. This position offers the maximum reproducibility and correlates well with the clinical picture offered to the diagnostician. This article describes an innovative and user friendly method to record natural head position using the head strap double fluid level device, a design modified from the popular fluid level device by Showfety, Vig and Matteson.