CORRELATION BETWEEN UPPER LIP MORPHOLOGY AND PROCLINATION OF ANTERIOR TEETH IN PATIENTS REPORTING FOR ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT

Introduction: Orthodontic treatment is performed to enhance one's aesthetics and morphological harmony and also to improve the function of the oral and maxillofacial region. Soft tissue analysis has always been an integral important part of diagnosis and treatment planning. Lip position has become one among the foremost important soft tissue analysis because it influences the occlusion, tooth stability and facial aesthetics. The aim of this study is to find out the relationship between upper lip morphology and proclination of anterior teethMaterials and methods: It is a single centered retrospective study conducted in a private dental institution in Chennai. The samples were taken from the patients who reported to the dental outpatient department from June 2019 to February 2021. The patient records were reviewed and analyzed. Inclusion criteria included age, gender, lip competency and lip length and proclination of anterior teeth. Proclination of teeth and lip competency were all done through photographic evaluation. Patients in the age group of 18-25 years, with proclination of teeth in the upper arch and class I malocclusion were selected. A total of 513 patients were included in the study.Results and discussion: A total of 513 patients' data were collected according to the criteria. Out of 513 patients 45%(238) were males and (54.2%) 278 were females. Patients in the age group of 18-25 years were selected. However, most of the patients concentrated within a small range with the highest percentage being 24 years(15.6%) and 22 years(15.6%) followed by 23 years(14.8%). 57.7% patients had competent lips, 30.8% had incompetent lips and 11.5% had potentially competent lips. 64.3% of patients had short lip and 35.7% had normal lip length. Class I malocclusion and proclination in the maxilla were seen in all 513 patients. Chi square test was done to assess the relationship between lip competency and Lip length (p<0.05 was considered statistically significant).Conclusion: According to our study it was suggestive that there is a relationship between the upper lip morphology and proclination of anterior teeth.