480 Letters to the Editor / British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 52 (2014) 479–481 treatments, remain cautious in some groups including the elderly and children, and assess on a case-by-case basis. Conflict of interest I have no conflict of interest. Reference 1. Jabbar J, Shekar V, Mitchell DA, et al. Should we be giving bilateral infe- rior alveolar and lingual blocks for third molar surgery. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2014;52:16–7. Angus Kingon * Willendon, 45 Grandview Street, Pymble 2073, Australia * Tel.: +61 412186675. E-mail address: amkingon@gmail.com Available online 30 March 2014 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bjoms.2014.03.007 About “Jayaratne YS, Deutsch CK, Zwahlen RA. A 3-dimensional anthropometric analysis of the orolabial region in Chinese young adults” [Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2013;51:908–12] Sir, We read the paper by Jayaratne et al. with great interest. 1 On pages 909–10 they claim to have introduced a new mea- surement, namely the interlabial angle sn-ls/li-sl. However, we described this same angle a long time ago, and one of our papers in which we used this measurement was published in your journal more recently. 2 Our first paper in which the interlabial angle was used was a publication in 2001 about the 3-dimensional assessment of dentolabial relations. 3 Subsequently, the angle has been used in papers that described adult patients operated on for cleft lip and palate, patients with Down’s syndrome and skeletal Class III malformations, 3 as well as other groups. This angle derives from a former version of the interlabial angle (sn-ls/li-pg), that we first published in a study that com- pared 3-dimensional soft tissue assessments and conventional cephalometrics. 4 The same angle was used in several subse- quent investigations about soft tissue facial morphology in children and adults. We would be grateful if the authors would acknowledge our investigations in their paper. References 1. Jayaratne YS, Deutsch CK, Zwahlen RA. A three-dimensional anthro- pometric analysis of the orolabial region in Chinese young adults. Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2013;51:908–12. DOI of original article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bjoms.2013.09.002. 2. Sforza C, Peretta R, Grandi G, Ferronato G, Ferrario VF. Three- dimensional facial morphometry in skeletal Class III patients. A non-invasive study of soft-tissue changes before and after orthognathic surgery. Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2007;42:138–44. 3. Ferrario VF, Sforza C, Schmitz JH, Ciusa V, Dellavia C. Digitized three- dimensional analysis of normal dento-labial relationships. Prog Orthod 2001;2:14–23. 4. Ferrario VF, Sforza C, Puleo A, Poggio CE, Schmitz JH. Three- dimensional facial morphometry and conventional cephalometrics: a cor- relation study. Int J Adult Orthodon Orthognath Surg 1996;11:329–38. Virgilio F. Ferrario Chiarella Sforza * Università degli Studi di Milano, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, via Mangiagalli 31, I-20133 Milano, Italy * Corresponding author. Tel.: +39 02 503 15407; fax: +39 02 503 15387. E-mail address: chiarella.sforza@unimi.it (C. Sforza) 30 January 2014 Available online 12 March 2014 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bjoms.2014.02.011 Response to Comments Regarding the Interlabial Angle Dear Editor, First, we would like to thank Drs. Ferrario and Sforza for their interest in our recent article on 3D anthropometric analysis of the orolabial region in Chinese young adults. 1 They have pointed out that we did not cite their laboratory’s earlier measurement of the interlabial angle. Our paper reads: “We introduced some new measurements and proportions that were not part of the traditional analysis scheme. The interlabial angle, adapted from cephalometry , would be particularly useful when patients with bimaxillary protrusion are being evaluated” (page 910). 1 It was not our intention to claim that we invented this measurement. Ferrario et al. point out: “Our first paper where the interlabial angle was used is a 2001 publication about the three-dimensional assessment of dentolabial relationships”. Indeed, this measurement has been employed by Dr. Ferrario, but also by other laboratories prior to 2001. 2–5 Moreover, we would like to take this opportunity to under- line our respect and appreciation for the work undertaken by Drs. Ferrario and Sforza in quantifying facial morphology. Conflict of interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose. DOI of original article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bjoms.2013.09.002, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bjoms.2014.02.011.