Soft tissue profile changes in Anatolian Turkish girls and boys following orthodontic treatment with and without extractions

The choice of extraction is critical in treatment planning, and its impact on the final facial appearance can be quite dramatic. Evaluation of facial profile esthetics both before and after treatment should be made cautiously. An orthodontist should be conscious of changes brought about by treatment and by late adolescent growth as well as differences in the dentofacial structures of various ethnic groups. The purpose of this cephalometric investigation was to determine the changes in the soft tissue profile of Turkish children treated with and without extractions. An assessment of pre- and post-treatment faces, chosen from our clinical records by certain criteria, was made to determine the possible variations between the 2 treatment alternatives. The material comprised the lateral cephalometric radiographs of 30 extractions (20 girls, 10 boys) and 30 non-extraction Class I patients (20 girls, 10 boys) both treated with edgewise appliances. The changes resulting from treatment in both groups were determined by paired t tests. May to further test whether the variables were statistically different for the groups both before and after treatment, independent sample t tests were used. After treatment, upper and lower lips were more retrusive, while the inferior sulcus as measured to the H line showed an increase in the extraction group. However, the average soft tissue measurements after treatment for both groups were favorable