A study of the relationship of the dental midline to the facial median line

Abstract

This report presents the results of an original investigation designed to determine (1) the prevalence in the natural dentition of a maxillary midline located in the exact middle of the mouth using the philtrum as the most reliable guide and (2) the percentage of people in whom the maxillary and mandibular midlines precisely coincide with each other. Results indicate that the midline is situated in the exact middle of the mouth in approximately 70% of people and that the maxillary and mandibular midlines fail to coincide in almost three fourths of the population.