Description of the sagittal jaw relation in cephalometric analysis – a review of literature

Abstract Introductionː Lateral cephalometry is commonly used to analyse craniofacial morphology, soft tissue profile and the direction of facial growth in an attempt to predict the possibilities and limits of orthodontic therapy. The aim of the study was to present the most frequently used cephalometric measurements to assess the skeletal class on a lateral cephalometric headfilm. Materials and methods: A Pubmed search was undertaken to systematize information on ANB angle, WITS appraisal, APDI and Harvold measurements. The keywords used were “cephalometry AND evaluation of sagittal malocclusion AND reference lines AND accuracy OR ANB angle OR WITS appraisal OR APDI”. A manual search was performed from the reference lists of studies found in order to identify and include pioneer studies. Results: A total number of 1258 records were found and finally 23 studies were included in the review. Four of them were descriptive, the other 19 were randomized control trials. Conclusionsː 1. ANB angle cannot be used as the only indicator of sagittal skeletal discrepancy. 2. WITS appraisal is independent of the variability of cranial base structures, thus may be an important supplement to the diagnosis, although it depends on the variability of the occlusal plane. 3. APDI can reliably distinguish between class I, II and III malocclusions.