Labial Morphology: A 3-Dimensional Anthropometric Study

Ferrario, Virgilio F.; Rosati, Riccardo; Peretta, Redento; Dellavia, Claudia; Sforza, Chiarella

doi:10.1016/j.joms.2009.04.080

« Previous Next »Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Volume 67, Issue 9 , Pages 1832-1839, September 2009

Labial Morphology: A 3-Dimensional Anthropometric Study

Virgilio F. Ferrario, MD, PhD
- Professor of Human Anatomy, Functional Anatomy Research Center, Laboratorio di Anatomia Funzionale dell'Apparato Stomatognatico, Dipartimento di Morfologia Umana, Università degli Studi di Milano Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Milano, Italy
Riccardo Rosati, DDS
- Postgraduate Student, Functional Anatomy Research Center, Laboratorio di Anatomia Funzionale dell'Apparato Stomatognatico, Dipartimento di Morfologia Umana, Università degli Studi di Milano Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Milano, Italy
Redento Peretta, MD, DOS, PhD
- Research Assistant, Functional Anatomy Research Center, Laboratorio di Anatomia Funzionale dell'Apparato Stomatognatico, Dipartimento di Morfologia Umana, Università degli Studi di Milano Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Milano, Italy
Claudia Dellavia, DDS, PhD
- Assistant Professor, Functional Anatomy Research Center, Laboratorio di Anatomia Funzionale dell'Apparato Stomatognatico, Dipartimento di Morfologia Umana, Università degli Studi di Milano Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Milano, Italy
Chiarella Sforza, MD, PhD
- Professor of Human Anatomy, Functional Anatomy Research Center, Laboratorio di Anatomia Funzionale dell'Apparato Stomatognatico, Dipartimento di Morfologia Umana, Università degli Studi di Milano Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Milano, Italy
- Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr Sforza: Functional Anatomy Research Center, Laboratorio di Anatomia Funzionale dell'Apparato Stomatognatico, Dipartimento di Morfologia Umana, Università degli Studi di Milano Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Via Mangiagalli 31, Milano I-20133 Italy

Purpose

To develop a noninvasive 3-dimensional method to evaluate labial morphology and to assess gender-related differences in healthy young adults.

Materials and Methods

Dental and lip impressions of 11 men and 10 women aged 21 to 34 years, with sound, full, permanent dentition were obtained. The models were digitized and 3-dimensional virtual reproductions obtained. The labial thickness, vermilion area, and volume of the upper and lower lips were measured from the digital reconstructions. The male and female data were compared using Student's t test.

Results

The mean lip thickness was significantly larger (P = .02) in men (14.3 mm) than in women (12.3 mm). The lower lip was thicker than the upper lip. The vermilion width was larger in men (75 mm) than in women (70 mm), and no differences were found for vermilion height (10 mm). In the upper lip, the height/width ratio was significantly larger in women (14.1%) than in men (12.3%). The vermilion surface area was slightly larger in men than in women (upper lip area: women, 467 mm²; men, 501 mm²; lower lip area: women, 491 mm²; men, 569 mm²). The labial volume was significantly larger in men (upper lip, 2,390 mm³; lower lip, 2,902 mm³) than in women (upper lip, 1,743 mm³; lower lip, 1,764 mm³; P = .021). The upper/lower lip area and volume ratios were similar in the 2 genders.

Conclusions

Overall, men had larger lips than women. The inferior lip height/width ratio was similar in both genders, and men had a relatively thinner upper lip than women.