Nose measurement
Frankfort–Tip Angle
How far the line from the nasal root to the tip leans forward from vertical (a line perpendicular to the Frankfort horizontal). Small values mean a steep, flat-lying nose; large values a nose angled further out from the face.
At a glance
- Ideal
- 29–35° (men) · 28–34° (women)
- Unit
- degrees
- Weight in the overall score
- 2
- Area
- Nose
How it is measured
∠ between N→Prn and the perpendicular to the Frankfort horizontal
- N Nasion — The deepest point of the dip between the forehead and the bridge of the nose.
- Prn Pronasale (nose tip) — The most forward point of the nasal tip.
- Po Tragion (porion) — The top of the tragus — the small flap in front of the ear canal. With orbitale it defines the Frankfort horizontal.
- Or Orbitale — The lowest point of the bony eye-socket rim, just below the lower eyelid.
Ideal range and tiers
Each value falls into a tier (T1 = ideal). Comfortably inside T1 the rating is 10, easing to 9.5 at the edges of the ideal range; beyond it the rating falls with the deviation — fastest in the first tiers outside the ideal — down to 0 at the far end of the worst tier.
| Tier | Range | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| T1 Ideal | 29–35° | 9.5–10 |
| T2 Near ideal | 27–29° or 35–37° | 6.7–9.5 |
| T3 Mild deviation | 25–27° or 37–39° | 4.3–6.7 |
| T4 Moderate deviation | 22–25° or 39–42° | 2.1–4.3 |
| T5 Severe deviation | < 22° or > 42° | 0–2.1 |
| Tier | Range | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| T1 Ideal | 28–34° | 9.5–10 |
| T2 Near ideal | 26–28° or 34–36° | 6.7–9.5 |
| T3 Mild deviation | 24–26° or 36–38° | 4.3–6.7 |
| T4 Moderate deviation | 21–24° or 38–41° | 2.1–4.3 |
| T5 Severe deviation | < 21° or > 41° | 0–2.1 |
Differences between populations
Optional population norms move this range by the difference reported between groups measured the same way:
- East Asian: −3.5°.
Individual faces vary far more within any group than between groups; these are averages, not targets.
Related measurements
References
- Hwang HS, Kim WS, McNamara JA Jr. Ethnic differences in the soft tissue profile of Korean and European-American adults with normal occlusions and well-balanced faces. Angle Orthod. 2002;72(1):72–80.