Facial reconstruction is an art and science in the field of forensics
which involves construction of a recognizable face on unknown
skull remains. It appears as a, metaphorically speaking “shining
beacon of hope” after everything else fails for identification of
the remains. Both, 2D and 3D methods of facial reconstruction
have been developed for this process. The database of facial soft
tissue thickness based on gender, ethnicity and age, at certain
bilateral and unilateral anatomical points on skull bones, lay
foundation to the process of reanimating the facial profile of a
deceased. Several imaging modalities have been used for the
collection of this data, in addition to the cadavers and various
guidelines have been given for the reconstruction of the soft
tissues, however, to construct soft tissue structures like nose,
eyes, mouth and ears which take an important position in
determination of the facial features is still a tedious task. This
process is being researched since a century and multiple
guidelines for reconstruction of the soft tissue structures are
available. The face plays out based on the method used; hence
selection of an appropriate method is vital. This review
encompasses the various methods/guidelines derived for the
reconstruction of the nose, eyes, mouth and ears of the face. In
addition to the traditional methods given by Gerasimov,
Krogman, Prokopec and Ubelaker, George, etc. other newer
methods have been mentioned. This review also highlights
assessment studies performed using the said methods in
populations other than the ones they were derived from.