A determination of occlusal plane comparing different levels of the tragus to form ala-tragal line or Camper's line: A photographic study

PURPOSE. The purpose of this study was to determine accurately the part of the tragus to be used to form the Ala-Tragal line or Camper's line in orthognathic profile patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS. 150 dentate subjects with age of 18-40 years with orthognathic profile were sampled. Life-size lateral digital photographs of the face with fox plane were taken in natural head position. Different angles between Eye-Ear plane and occlusal plane ($OT_1$-OP), Eye-Ear plane and ala-superior border of tragus ($OT_1-AT_1$), Eye-Ear plane and ala-middle border of tragus ($OT_1-AT_2$) and Eye-Ear plane and ala-inferior border of tragus ($OT_1-AT_3$) were calculated using computer software package, AutoCAD 2004. From the three angles formed by the Eye-ear plane ($OT_1$ or FH plane) and the ala-tragal lines, the one closest to the angle formed between Eye-Ear plane ($OT_1$) and occlusal plane (OP) was used to determine the occlusal plane of orientation. The obtained results were subjected to ANOVA F test, Tukey's Honestly significant difference test, followed by Karl Pearson coefficient of correlation test. P values of less than 0.05 were taken as statistically significant. RESULTS. The mean of base line angle i.e. $OT_1$-OP angle ($11.96{\pm}4.36$) was found to be close to $OT_1-AT_2$ angle ($13.67{\pm}1.93$) and $OT_1-AT_3$ angle ($10.31{\pm}2.03$), but $OT_1$-OP angle was found to be more closer to $OT_1-AT_3$ angle. Comparison of mean angles showed that $OT_1$-OP angle in both males (11.68) and females (12.51) is close to $OT_1-AT_3$ angle (males- 11.01, females- 11.95). CONCLUSION. The line joining from ala to the lower border of the tragus was parallel to the occlusal plane in 53.3% of the subjects. There was no influence of the sex on the level of occlusal plane.