An evaluation of the mean cephalometric values for orthognathic surgery for black South African adults. Part II: Soft tissue.

In Part I of a two-part study, the mean measurements of hard tissue cephalometric values for orthognathic surgery for a selected sample of black South African adults were compared to the values recorded Burstone et al (1978) for caucasian North Americans and the values reported by Flynn, Ambrogio and Zeichner (1989) for African-Americans. Part II of this study compares the mean soft tissue cephalometric values for orthognathic surgery in black South African adults with the population groups studied by Legan and Burstone (1980) and Flynn et al (1989). Significant variations were found mainly in and around the mouth, the naso-labial angle and the angle of the throat of black South Africans when compared to caucasian North Americans (Legan and Burstone, 1980) and African-Americans (Flynn et al, 1989). The findings of this study may be useful in providing racially specific mean cephalometric values in the planning and treatment of dento-skeletal surgery in black South African adults.