Soft Tissue Profile Analysis for Iraqi Patients with β- Thalassemia Major

Abstract

The facial appearance of patients with β-thalassemia major is readily recognizable
so that soft tissue profile analysis is presented in this study.
The aim of the study is concerned about the analysis of soft tissue profile
morphology in a group of patients having β-thalassemia major and to record the
possible differences between both thalassemic genders and to investigate the
differences in the soft tissue morphology between thalassemic patients and non
thalassemic normal subjects
The material of this study consisted from lateral cephalometric radiographs for
(40) thalassemic patients aged 15-17 years and (40) cephalometric radiographs for
non thalassemic normal subjects were obtained for analyzing soft tissue profile
morphology
The results showed that there were no significant differences between thalassemic
males and females but the soft tissue profile morphology for thalassemic patients
mostly different from normal subjects which characterized by convex profile.
Thalassemic patients have a soft tissue profile morphology mostly different from
normal's that characterized by smaller nasal dimensions, short and everted upper lip
and thicker lower lip which giving them the appearance of convex profile.