Facial asymmetry in young healthy subjects evaluated by statistical shape analysis

Abstract

Statistical shape analysis, a relatively a new method for biological research, compares body forms by using specific landmarks determined by anatomical prominences. In this study, we aimed to identify normal facial asymmetry between the right and the left sides of the face. Facial landmark data were collected from two-dimensional digital images of 321 young healthy subjects (150 males and 171 females). These data were analysed using Euclidean distance matrix analysis. The number of significantly asymmetric linear distances between the two halves of the face was greater in females than in males. We found that the left side of the face was most commonly dominant in both males and females. Such data may be useful in establishing a database for future similar studies.

Three-Dimensional Analysis of Facial Asymmetry of Healthy Hispanic Children

“…This is consistent with the aforementioned studies of other racial/ethnic groups conducted by Farkas and Cheung [4] (North American Caucasians), Primozic et al [5] (Slovenian Caucasians), and Ferrario et al [6] (Caucasians in Italy); however, this result is contrary of the finding of Ercan et al's analysis of a young Turkish sample [7]. Interestingly, for both genders, the ratio of Euclidean distances from crista philtr (cph) to labiale superius (ls) and Geodesic distances from tragion (t) and nasion (n) show that the left side is statistically significantly wider than the right side, which is opposite of general finding of this study.…”

“…However, there is no consistent finding for the aged match group in their study to our data. A similar trend was found in the study of Ercan et al [7] for the cph-ls. Although we cannot make a direct comparison due to the difference on the age (7-12 years vs. 17-21 years), they reported a similar result of ours in that the left side of cph-ls is wider than the right side for male subjects.…”

“…Primozic et al [5] also showed a mild asymmetry of 27 healthy, young Slovenian Caucasians (15 boys and 12 girls) in their longitudinal study. Similar trends were found in other studies: 1) Ferrario et al [6] of 80 healthy, young Caucasians (40 men and 40 women) residing in Italy, 2) White et al [9] of 83 healthy Caucasian infants (41 boys and 42 girls) residing in the United Kingdom, and 3) Ercan et al [7] of 321 healthy, young Turks (151 men and 170 women).…”

“…Some studies [4][5][6] reported that the right side of the face is larger that the left side, while it is not true for one study [7]. There was also variability in which facial part was noted as the most asymmetric ; some studies [4,5] found that the upper part of the face is the most asymmetric part of the face, while other studies reported the middle [7] and the lower facial part [10] as the most asymmetric part of the face.…”

“…Previous studies [4][5][6][7][8][9][10] have consistently reported that there is a mild asymmetry of the face for different racial/ethnic groups. For example, Farkas and Cheung [4] reported a subtle asymmetry of 308 healthy, young North American Caucasians (154 boys and 154 girls).…”