Muhammad Adil Khan, Ghulam Rasool, Umar Hussain, Faizan-ul Hassan.
Lip asymmetry in orthodontic patients during smiling.
Pak Oral Dental J Jan ;36(2):253-5.

An asymmetry in the smile can be due to an asymmetric smile curtain or a transverse cant of the maxillary occlusal plane. Although the commissures move up and laterally in smiling, studies have shown a difference in the amount and direction of movement between the right and left sides. The aim this study was to determine the frequency of upper lip asymmetry in orthodontics patients while smiling. A total of 174 Pakistani national patients, aged 18-50 years, irrespective of their skeletal class or gender were assessed. An upper lip cant was considered to be present when a clinically evident difference existed between the amount of tooth structure and gingiva seen on the right and left sides during smiling. Of 174 total patients included, 74 were male and 100 were female. Mean age was 20 ± 2.7 for this sample. 6.75% of the males while 7.0% of the females had an asymmetric upper lip. There was no statistically significant difference between males and females. Results showed that there is a need for greater attention to be given to the asymmetrical smile during treatment planning.

PakMediNet -Pakistan's largest Database of Pakistani Medical Journals - http://www.pakmedinet.com