Establishing the soft and hard tissue area centers (centroids) for the skull and introducing a newnon-anatomical cephalometric line

Khalid M. Al-Balkhi, BDS, MSc
Ibrahim Al-Shahrani,BDS, MSc
Abdulaziz Al-Madi, BSEng, PhD

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to demonstrate how to establish the area center (centroid) of both the soft and hard tissues of the outline of the lateral cephalometric skull image, and to introduce the concept of a new non-anatomical centroid line. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Lateral cephalometric radiographs, size 12 x 14 inch, of fifty seven adult subjects were selected based on their pleasant, balanced profile, Class I skeletal and dental relationship and no major dental malocclusion or malrelationship. RESULTS: The area centers (centroids) of both soft and hard tissue skull were practically established using a customized software computer program called the "m-file". CONCLUSION: Connecting the two centers introduced the concept of a new non-anatomical soft and hard centroids line.

Saudi Dental Journal 2008;20 (3):121-128.