NASOLABIAL ANGLE: SEARCHING FOR A CONSENSUS AMONG ORTHODONTISTS, MAXILLOFACIAL SURGEONS AND PLASTIC SURGEON

Abstract

Objective: To assess the level of consensus regarding nasolabial angle among Orthodontists, Maxillofacial surgeons and Plastic surgeons.

Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration: Rawalpindi, Islamabad and Lahore, from Jan 2018 to Mar 2018.

Methodology: A total of 250 surveys forms were distributed by hand and online to the residents and consultants of Orthodontics, Oral and Maxillofacial surgery and Plastic surgery. 205 forms were received back and responses were then entered in and analyzed on SPSS version 22. Fishers exact test was used to associate the specialty and years of experience with the method of measuring nasolabial angle and p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: Twenty six (12.7%) of the 205 respondents revealed that they assess the nasolabial angle on Photograph, 87 (42.4%) use Lateral cephalogram and 92 (44.9%) assess directly on patients. Maximum respondents i.e. 150 (73%) chose option A i.e., angle between columella and line intersecting subnasale and labrale superius as the method of measuring the angle. The reason of preference varied among all the specialties. Statistically significant differences were found among clinicians of different specialties and years of clinical experience for the preferred method for measuring the nasolabial angle (p-value <0.001). More experienced clinicians estimated the angle on the patients face on profile view, more orthodontists used lateral cephalogram and plastic surgeons preferred patients profile view clinically.

Conclusion: A consensus was reached for the method of measuring nasolabial angle but there was no consensus for the medium of measurement among different specialties.