Chapter 5 ABSTRACT Purpose Salivadistributionover thepalatal surfaceplays an important role in theperception of drymouth. It isenvisaged that non-invasiveestimationof thepalatal surfacearea byanthropometricmeasurementsof headandfacecanbeuseful intheassessment of oral dryness. For this purpose, the relationship between the palatal surface area and anthropometricmeasurements of the head and face was investigated. Methods The palatal surface was measured in 51 healthy volunteers using an intra-oral scanner. The distances between anthropometric landmarks of the head and face were determined using an anatomical sliding calliper. Correlations between the palatal surface area and the anthropometric landmarks were investigated. Results Themedian palatal surface area for the total study sample was found to be 2120.6 mm2. Virtually all anthropometric measurements showed significant differences between females and males. Various head and face measurements had a significant correlation with the palatal surface area. However, these correlations disappeared when the participants were stratified based on their sex, with the exception of mandibular length and palatal width in females. Conclusion The surface area of the palate correlates with nearly all anthropometric measurements of the head and face included in this study, yet the clinical applicability seems limited to females. Keywords Anthropometric measurements, Palatal surface area, Head and face dimensions, TRIOS 3 scanner. 96
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