Validity of photoanthropometric method for clinical and objective description of facial structures

Abstract Background: Using photoanthropometric method enables to describe proportional anatomic-morphologic sizes of different facial structures. This method is useful in some medical as well as anthropological studies. Objective: Evaluation of photoanthropometric method for objective definition of facial structures for practical uses including diagnosis of some syndromes and clinical support (in medicine) and description of facial characteristics of races (in anthropology). Methods: In this study, 19 parameters, including distance and angular measurements were performed on frontal and profile photos of 100 normal Tehranis children aged 4-14. The resulted indices for each parameter were separately shown as a scattergram to indicate dispersion of values and the age changes. Data was analysed by Excel software. The regression line and the correlation coefficient were determined for each parameter. Findings: Results presented here are only for four parameters. While getting older, the midface height increases (r = 0.33), upper jaw becomes more prominent (r = 0.42), chin becomes higher (r = 0.48), and mouth fissure gets broader (r = 0.26). Conclusion: Based on the results found in this study, the application of this method enables to determine normal (standard) and abnormal sizes of facial structures in population of some human races as well as some facial dysmorphic syndromes, and also aids in diagnosis and treatment.