These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: The effect of sex and age on facial asymmetry in healthy subjects: a cross-sectional study from adolescence to mid-adulthood.
    Author: Ferrario VF, Sforza C, Ciusa V, Dellavia C, Tartaglia GM.
    Journal: J Oral Maxillofac Surg; 2001 Apr; 59(4):382-8. PubMed ID: 11289167.
    Abstract:
    PURPOSE: The study assessed the effects of sex and age on 3-dimensional (3D) soft-tissue facial asymmetry. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The 3D coordinates of selected soft-tissue facial landmarks were digitized on 314 healthy white subjects (40 male and 33 female adolescents, aged 12 to 15 years; 73 female and 89 male young adults, aged 18 to 30 years; and 41 male and 38 female adults, aged 31 to 56 years) by an electromagnetic instrument. Facial asymmetry was quantified by detecting a plane of symmetry and the centers of gravity of the right and left hemifaces and by calculating the distance between the 2 centers of gravity (distance from the symmetry [DFS]). Both absolute (millimeters) and percentage (of the nasion-center of gravity distance) DFS were obtained, as well as the maximum normal asymmetry. The asymmetry of single landmarks was also quantified. RESULTS: No gender- or age-related differences were found for both absolute and percentage DFS (P > .05). The maximum normal asymmetry was slightly greater in females than in males of corresponding age; within each sex, the largest values were found in the adolescent group. Tragion, gonion, and zygion were the most asymmetric landmarks in all groups (about 10% to 12% of the nasion-facial center of gravity distance), whereas the least asymmetric was endocanthion (4% to 6%). CONCLUSIONS: A slight soft-tissue facial asymmetry was found in normal subjects. The maximum normal asymmetry could be useful in identifying borderline asymmetric patients.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]