CRANIOFACIAL MORPHOMETRY BY PHOTOGRAPHIC EVALUATIONS

Frontal and lateral oriented profile photographs of 108 healthy young adults (57 men and 51 women) were taken, and a standardized protocol w as used to quantitatively describe the depicted craniofacial soft tiss ue structure, the relationships among facial structures, and head post ure relative to the ground. Pictures were taken in two body positions, standing and sitting. The male faces were, on average, wider and long er than the female faces, in both frontal and lateral views, with grea ter differences in the mouth and chin regions. Both sexes were general ly symmetrical. Persons who were asymmetric compensated for their appe arance by changing head posture relative to the ground, so that in the frontal plane, the interpupillary axis and the occlusal plane were pa rallel to the ground. Measurements can be employed in computer graphic reconstructions used in orthognathic, maxillofacial, and plastic surg ery. In the standing position, the Frankfurt plane was directed upward and forward, with a mean angle of 13-degrees relative to the ground. In seated subjects, it was more nearly horizontal (5-degrees in the me n, 8-degrees in the women). This result confirms the need for a carefu l reevaluation of standard cephalometric and photographic protocols.