Sassouni

analysis
 Introduction
Dr. Viken Sassouni, an American, was born in
Iran in 1922
• He was a pioneer in computerized orthodontic
diagnosis and treatment planning.
 “
Sassouni based his analysis on a study conducted on tracings of
100 lateral head x-ray films.
 The sample included 51 girls and 49 boys.
 They were White children, primarily of Mediterranean origin.
 The chronological age ranges from 7 to 15 years.
 The aim of the study was to find some acceptable constant
relationships in architecture of the face and use it for diagnostic
and treatment planning
The Sassouni analysis was the first
Cephalometric method to emphasize
vertical as well as horizontal
relationships and the interaction
between vertical and horizontal
proportions.
according to the Sassouni analysis,
in a well-proportioned face, the
horizontal facial planes should
converge symmetrically toward a
single point of intersection located
near the occiput.
POINT O

The relationship between

1. Mandibular base plane
2. Occlusal plane
3. Palatal plane
4. Anterior cranial base plane
5. Frankfort plane
In a well-proportioned face, if these planes are
prolonged, they all meet
posteriorly at the same point i.e O
If the area of convergence of the horizontal
facial planes is positioned in front of the
occiput, toward the face, the planes will
diverge anteriorly; this skeletal pattern is
associated with markedly different anterior
and posterior facial heights and correlates
with an anterior open bite tendency, termed a
“skeletal open bite
If the planes are nearly parallel, so that they converge
far behind the face and diverge only slowly as they pass
anteriorly,
there is a skeletal predisposition toward anterior deep
bite, and the condition is termed skeletal deep bite.
The relationship of the four planes coming together
to common point O allows the classification for the
four different facial types:
Type I occurs when the anterior cranial base plane
doesn’t pass through O.

Type II occurs when the palatal plane doesn’t pass

through O

Type III the occlusal plane doesn’t pass through O

Type IV the mandibular base plane doesn’t pass through

O
By using O as the center, Sassouni was able to
construct two arcs. First is the anterior arc, the arc of a
circle, between anterior cranial base and the
mandibular plane, O is the center and O-ANS is the
radius.
The posterior arc on the other hand, lies between the
anterior cranial base and mandibular base plane, with
O as the center and Osp as the radius. Sp being the
most posterior point on the rear margin of sella turcica.
The anterior arc passes through:-
pogonion, incisal edge of upper central
incisor, anterior nasal spine,nasion &
frontoethmoidal junction
 All these points are equidistant from
pointO
The posterior relationship wellproportioned
Face The posterior arc should also pass
through the
gonion.
Thus: the gonion and Sp
are equidistant from O
Classification of profile Based on anterior arc and reference points:
N , ANS, upper incisor & pogonion

1. Archial: 2. Prearchial:
3. Postarchial:
anterior arc arc passes
same
passes through through N . ANS,
points posterior
all uppper incisor &
to arc
points Pog
are anterior to it
4. Convex: ANS &
upper
5. Concave:
incisor anterior to
Same
arc
points posterior
passing through
to arc
Na &
Pog
Complete, well-proportioned face, as seen on
lateral ceph, is one in which
1. Four planes meet at point O
2. Upper anterior & lower anterior faces
are equal
3. Upper posterior & lower posterior faces
are
equal
4. Profile is archial
5. Posterior arc passes through gonion
Although the total arcial analysis
described by Sassouniis no longer
widely used,his analysis of vertical
facial proportions
has become an integral part of the
overall analysis of a
patient
References

* Orthodontics- diagnosis and management of

malocclusion and dentofacial deformities- O P
Kharbanda
* Viken Sassouni - A roentgenographic
cephalometric analysis of cephalo-facio-dental
relationships -
American Journal of Orthodontics Volume 41 issue
10 1955
*contemporary orthodontics – proffit – 4th edition
*https://www.cephx.com/sassouni-analysis/
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