Relationship Of Facial Pattern and Smile Features in Patients with Dentofacial Deformities.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the association between smile characteristics and facial patterns in patients with dentofacial deformities. METHODS: Records of patients with dentofacial deformities were retrospectively analyzed. Electronic health records and standardized photographs were assessed to classify gender (male or female), skeletal facial pattern (Pattern II, Pattern III, Long Face, Short Face, dolichocephalic, brachycephalic, and mesocephalic), and smile characteristics, including smile line, smile arc, smile design, upper lip curvature, lip-tooth relationship, and number of teeth displayed during smiling. RESULTS: Data from 187 individuals were included. Pattern III was the most prevalent skeletal pattern (48.1%), with a higher proportion of female patients (62.6%). Most Pattern II (94.9%) and Pattern III (82.2%) individuals were classified as mesocephalic. Smile line height showed a significant association with the vertical facial dimension, being higher in patients with vertical excess and lower in those with vertical deficiency. Smile arc and smile design demonstrated similar distributions among facial patterns presenting comparable occlusal plane inclinations. No statistically significant differences among smile characteristics were observed within the Short Face group. CONCLUSION: Smile line height was associated with vertical skeletal discrepancies, whereas smile arc and smile design were more consistent among facial patterns with similar occlusal plane inclinations. These findings emphasize the role of facial morphology in smile characteristics and support the inclusion of smile analysis in orthodontic and orthognathic treatment planning.