It is common to analyse the growth direction of the facial skeleton by registering serial lateral cephalograms on Sella and orienting along Sella-Nasion. The present paper reports an exercise in cephalometric growth analysis by an alternate method the study of mean growth tensors. The authors conclude that conventional cephalometric techniques are inadequate for precise analysis and practical prediction of craniofacial change and that cephalometrics should proceed independently of any orientation or registration at all, with analyses following from the phenomenon, not preceding it.