Introduction: European-American norms are still used in the orthodontic treatment of Emirates patients despite the different ethnic backgrounds of the Emirates. The purpose of this study was to formulate cephalometric norms for lateral cephalometric measurements of Emirates adults and to study gender differences. Methods: Lateral cephalometric radiographs of 176 Emirates adults, 91 males and 85 females, were selected according to the following criteria; an age range between 19 to 25 years, esthetically pleasing and harmonious faces with balanced and acceptable profiles and occlusions, normal skeletal and dental relationship, all permanent teeth present, and no history of orthodontic treatment or facial trauma. The mean values and standard deviations of 91 angular and 21 linear cephalometric variables were calculated using the Dolphin version 10.5 software package. The resulting norms for Emirates male and female groups were compared using a student t-test. Results: Several statistically significant gender differences were noticeable. Skeletally, Emirates males showed significantly greater (p < 0.001) total, anterior, and posterior cranial base lengths as well as longer facial heights, greater SGn-FH (˚), ANS Xi PM (˚), and FH/MP (˚) angles than females. In addition, Emirates males had significantly greater (p < 0.001) Co-A (mm), Co-Gn (mm), and significantly greater (p < 0.05) Pog-N vert (mm) than females. Dentally, Emirates males had significantly greater (p < 0.05) UI-SN (˚) and U1-NA (˚), U1-NA (mm), and L1-NB (mm) (p < 0.001) than females. For soft tissue measurements there were significant gender differences (p < 0.001) for all angular and linear measurements except for lower lip to E-plane and nose prominence measurements which have no significant gender difference. Emirates males revealed greater measurements than females except for soft tissue convexity, Z-angle, and both upper and lower lips protrusion which were significantly greater in Emirates females. Conclusions: The use of specific cephalometric standards for Emirates adults, separate for gender, seems to be justified. It is appropriate to put these cephalometric norms into daily orthodontic practice when Emirates adults are being treated.

Introduction:The current study is the first to present the cephalometric norms in Emirati adults and aimed to investigate the differences in the angular and linear soft tissue cephalometric measures between male and female Emirati adults. Methods: A group of 176 individuals (91 males and 85 females) with normal occlusion, proportional facial profiles were chosen, and lateral cephalograms were obtained. Standard values of 16 soft-tissue measurements were determined. Descriptive statistics were first carried out for each parameter. The Student's t-test was then performed to determine significant differences between male and female measurement means. Significant differences were determined at the 95% probability level. Results: Soft tissue measurements showed that men had a greater soft tissue profile and H-angle than women. A significant difference between the genders was observed for all linear soft tissue measurements except for the lower lip to E-plane, N'-Sn' and Sn'-Stomion/Sn-Me ratio measurements. The lengths and thicknesses of the upper and lower lips independently, protrusion of both upper and lower lips, Sn'-Me' (mm) and N'-Sn'/Sn'-Me' (%) were found to be significantly different (p < 0.001) and so were the upper lip to E-plane (mm) and the soft tissue thickness of the chin measurements (p < 0.05). Except for upper and lower lip protrusion dimensions and the N'-Sn'/Sn'-Me' (%), men presented with greater linear measurements. Conclusion:The differences in soft-tissue cephalometric norms between men and women were established, suggesting that the orthodontist must individualize therapy using local norms as the reference.

No abstract