Modified Moorees Mesh Diagram Analysis

MODIFIED MOOREES MESH

DIAGRAM ANALYSIS

The mesh diagram analysis graphically displays variations among facial

components and thereby provides a description of facial morphology in both hard
and soft tissues furnishes a valuable guide in orthodontic diagnosis and treatment
planning.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ANALYSIS:

The tracing is oriented on the extra cranial vertical corresponding to the

natural head position and the following steps are taken.

Step 1:
Draw the vertical axis parallel to the extracranial vertical through point
Nasion (N).
Step 2:
Draw two horizontal lines perpendicular to the vertical axis through (a)
Nasion
Step 3:
Transfer the length of the distance from Nasion to Sella (S) onto the
horizontal through N registered at N, and then draw a vertical through the
transferred point S.

The previous steps already demonstrate three basic components underlying

the choice of references in the mesh diagram analysis.
a. Natural head position.
b. Height of the upper cast (N-ANS)
c. Depth of the face as related by the distance N-S.

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The four co-ordinates thus drawn intersect to form a core grid rectangle
that characterizes the shape of the upper face of the person being studied.

Step 4:
The vertical and horizontal sides of the core rectangle are divided into two
parts, representing a basic vertical unit (V) and a horizontal unit 9H).

Step 5:
The vertical unit V is transferred once above the core grid and three time
under the core grid.

Step 6:
The horizontal unit H is transferred once in front of the core grid and once
behind it. Vertical and horizontal coordinates are drawn. They intersect to form a
mesh on 24 rectangles over the facial structure.

The proportionate location of anatomic landmarks within their respective

mesh rectangle on the patient’s cephalogram is subsequently compared with the
norm.

Moorrees and associates distort the mesh grid to represent any deference in
the proportionate location of the landmarks in the patient’s mesh compared with
the norm. By transforming the vertical grid lines, the sagittal components of the
soft and hard tissue profile and facial configuration are shown. Characteristics
pertaining to various aspects of facial height are displayed through distortion of
the horizontal grid lines.

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MODIFIED MESH ANALYSIS:

The first six steps are the same as described previously.

Step 7:
Locate the median proportionate position of each landmark in its
respective grid rectangle of the patient’s mesh diagram.

Scales are available that provide the mean horizontal and vertical locations
of landmarks within their respective grids rectangle coordinates in the scale
(Department of orthodontics, Forsyth dental care, Harvard school of dental
medicine).

Step 8:
Connect the different landmarks representing the median position as in the
normal mesh diagram, preferably in a color different from the color used for the
patient’s tracing or for the mesh diagram.

Step 9:
Compare the location of each landmark thus established with the actual
position of this landmark on the patient’s profile.

Step 10:
Conclusions may be made by direct observation. In addition, individual
distances or angular measurements may be compared with distances or angular
measurements from the ‘intermediate’ or patient norms instead of the population’s
norms. Another advantage of the analysis is the possibility (correcting angular
measurements to SN line).

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