Transverse Growth of Facial Soft Tissues: A Longitudinal Three‐Dimensional Facial Growth Study

Transverse facial growth in females ceased at approximately 14 years of age, whereas growth continued for a longer period in males. Greater growth increments during the male growth spurt, together with prolonged growth duration, resulted in relatively wider nasal and lip dimensions after puberty. The clinical significance of this study lies in demonstrating that analyses of maxillary expansion could be improved by accounting for normal background growth.