Vertical facial pattern and sagittal relationship in patients with Class II malocclusion: Are they interrelated?

ObjectiveTo examine the extent to which vertical facial morphology and sagittal relationship determined by overjet, Wits appraisal, and ANB angle are interrelated in patients with skeletal and dental Class II malocclusion.Materials and MethodsLateral cephalograms and dental casts were obtained from 140 untreated patients (68 males and 72 females, between 8 and 11 years old) with skeletal and dental Class II malocclusion. Overjet was measured on study casts and sagittal skeletal parameters as well as vertical facial morphologic characteristics were analyzed on lateral cephalograms. Stepwise and simple linear regression analyses were used to determine the statistical significance of the relationships between the sagittal parameters and vertical facial morphologic characteristics. Male and female samples were evaluated separately.ResultsLinear regression identified associations between vertical facial characteristics and overjet (female R2 value, 0.55; male R2 value, 0.47). Associations between vertical facial characteristics and sagittal skeletal parameters were weaker: ANB (female R2 value, 0.32; male R2 value, 0.20) and Wits (female R2 value, 0. 17; male R2 value, 0.15). Simple linear regression identified statistically significant moderate associations between overjet and all vertical facial characteristics. The largest significant associations were found between overjet and palatal plane:gonial-menton (female R2 value, 0.47; male R2 value, 0.28). The associations were stronger in the female sample.ConclusionsSagittal relationship is associated with vertical facial morphologic characteristics and is a moderate predictor of vertical facial morphologic pattern. Approximately 50% of overjet variance, 25% of ANB variance, and 15% of Wits variance are explained by vertical facial morphology in patients with Class II malocclusion.