[Determination of the vertical dimension of occlusion]

Abstract

It is generally accepted that some anatomical sites, facial as well as oral, remain stable throughout the life of a human being. In this study, a population of 191 dentulous subjects without clinical symptoms and a mean of 21 years and 4 months, was selected. The first part attempts, from facial landmarks, stable with time, to establish statistics that could provide norms for subjects without teeth and aid clinicians in evaluating the Vertical Dimension, in the treatment of edentalous patients. Mac GEE conducted a similar study without, however, any detail concerning the number and the age group of the sample population. Our conclusions do not contradict the study of this author and give additional details, namely: -14% of the population studied presents the following identical distances: . interpupillary distance, . distance: nasal spine/submental region (in maximum intercuspation), . distance: glabella/nasal spine, . distance: bipupillary line/stomion. -69% of the population studied presents three measurements out of four, which are identical.