Despite the countless cephalometric methods available, clinicians and literature often show scepticism regarding the real value of preconceived standards to achieve either good occlusion results or automatic facial harmony. Criticism reflects several systematic and random errors. When using analyses based on intracranial reference variables, the geometric distortion affecting measurements, the lack of unit or biological significance of most of the constitutive parameters, are responsible for discrepancy, poor planning and questionable results. In this presentation, the author will introduce his own cephalo(no)metric method of diagnosis Geometric Analysis . This simple technique reflects a different approach to conventional cephalometry. It is particularly useful in surgical planning, when the skeletal discrepancy can lead to error.

CURRICULUM VITAE: Carlos Silva

Carlos Silva is a graduate of the Dental School of the University of Porto (1981) where he took his Master of Science degree (1986) and has a PhD from the Barcelona University. He has been teaching Orthodontics for 25 years and currently he is a Professor of the University Fernando Pessoa, in Porto, having published about 40 papers, 2 books and lectured over 150 conferences and courses. He is the author of the cephalometric diagnosing method “Geometric Analysis” and is particularly interested in “decision making in orthodontics” and “tooth movement”. As former Secretary General of the Portuguese Dental Association and as the first President of the Portuguese College of Orthodontists, he gave a strong impulse to the recognition of the orthodontic specialty in Portugal.