Profilocephalometric analysis: a combination of the cephalophotometric and the architectural-structural craniofacial analyses.

A number of cephalometric analyses are presently being used in the assessment of dentofacial deformities. These cephalometrics are mostly based on hard tissue assessment alone, although a few methods using soft tissue only or partially hard and partially soft tissues exist. Most of the analyses use angular and linear measurements, although some are based mainly on measurements of relationships. When the various cephalometric analyses are compared, considerable inconsistency comes to light; so much so, that cephalometrics sometimes cannot be considered as a primary diagnostic tool. A combination of two relationship analyses, one based on soft tissue assessment and one based on hard tissue assessment, incorporating the craniofacial complex, is presented to provide a higher degree of diagnostic accuracy. This combination analysis is based on only a few critical hard tissue landmarks of the cranial base that are used for the total assessment of the facial hard, dental, and soft tissues. This has eliminated inappropriate landmarks and lines that existed in each of the original analyses. The cephalophotometric and architectural-structural craniofacial analyses have been adjusted accordingly and renamed the profilocephalometric analysis.