cephalometriai

Cephalometriai is a subdiscipline of orthodontics and oral and maxillofacial surgery that uses standardized radiographic images of the head, specifically lateral cephalograms, to analyze the skeletal and soft tissue relationships of the face. These measurements and analyses are crucial for diagnosing and planning orthodontic treatment, surgical correction of facial deformities, and assessing growth and development.

The process involves identifying specific anatomical landmarks on the cephalogram, such as the sella turcica, nasion, and pogonion, and then measuring distances and angles between them. These measurements provide quantitative data about the position and relationship of the maxilla and mandible to each other and to the cranial base. Different cephalometric analyses, such as those developed by Steiner, Downs, or McNamara, use varying sets of measurements to assess specific aspects of facial structure, including skeletal discrepancies, dental relationships, and facial profile.

Cephalometriai aids in determining whether a patient's malocclusion is skeletal or dental in origin, the severity of any skeletal imbalance, and the direction and magnitude of growth remaining. This information is vital for orthodontists to create individualized treatment plans, predict treatment outcomes, and monitor progress. In surgical contexts, cephalometric analysis is essential for pre-operative planning and post-operative evaluation of orthognathic surgeries designed to correct severe skeletal discrepancies.