Three-dimensional evaluation of craniofacial characteristics related to mandibular asymmetries in skeletal Class I patients.

INTRODUCTION: Our objective was to analyze the characteristics that affect skeletal Class I adults with mandibular asymmetries using cone-beam computerized tomography. METHODS: The sample included cone-beam computerized tomography images of 120 subjects. Asymmetry was determined by the deviation of gnathion from the midsagittal plane and classified as relative symmetry, moderate asymmetry, or severe asymmetry. Maxillary and mandibular measurements were made, and the differences between the contralateral side and the deviated side were evaluated, as well as the differences between the categories of asymmetry. RESULTS: For patients with moderate asymmetry, there were significant differences between the contralateral and deviated sides for some measuments in the transverse and vertical planes. For those with severe asymmetry, statistically significant differences were found between the sides for all measurements, except for the measuments that evaluated the position of the mandibular condyle in the transverse and sagittal directions. Furthermore, a strong correlation was found in patients with severe asymmetry, between the deviation of the mandibular dental midline and the lateral displacement of gnathion. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with relative symmetry had a bilateral balance, whereas those with moderate and severe asymmetries showed several skeletal imbalances. A great deviation of the mandibular dental midline may indicate severe skeletal asymmetry in Class I adults.