Evaluation of facial soft-tissue values and craniofacial morphology in obese adolescent patients with different skeletal classes

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the facial soft tissue and craniofacial morphological structures in adolescent obese individuals with different skeletal patterns. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out on 292 adolescents examined under three groups based on their body mass indexes (BMIs) as obese, healthy, and overweight. The subjects were also categorized based on skeletal classes as Class I, Class II, and Class III. Results: The glabella, nasion, labiale inferius, labiomentale, and pogonion values of the female patients were significantly higher in obese group. In the obese and overweight groups, effective midfacial and mandibular length, anterior and posterior facial heights, and SN values of the females were higher than males. In the obese group, the mean effective midfacial and mandibular length (Co-A and Co-Gn), anterior and posterior facial heights (S-Go and N-Me), and anterior cranial base (SN) values were significantly higher than other groups. Conclusion: Soft-tissue thicknesses increase as BMI value increases. Craniofacial morphology reveals significant differences between BMI groups.

MR Imaging Spectrum of Neuro Rhino Sino Orbital Fungal Infections in patients treated for COVID

Objectives: To analyse the spectrum of imaging findings of fungal infection as seen in MRI images of priorly treated for COVID. Materials and methods: The different patterns of findings of Neuro Rhino Sino Orbital Fungal Infections as seen in MRI images in 100 patients who received standard treatment for COVID in recent past and presented with suggestive signs and symptoms. Results: No positive MRI findings to suggest any neural tissue, orbital or Sino nasal involvement was seen in 35 % of cases. Only sino nasal involvement noted in 23 % cases. Sino-nasal as well as orbital involvement seen in 21 % cases. Neuro Sino Naso Orbital lesions were seen in 11% cases. Non fungal orbito-facial soft tissue inflammation was seen in 10 % cases. Conclusion: In patients who have received standard treatment for Covid and who later developed signs and symptoms of neural, orbital or Sino nasal involvement; positive imaging findings were noted in 65% cases. Fungal infections were seen more in middle aged population [40-60 years of age]. About 75 % of affected patients were known diabetics. Neural involvement was least common. This study proposes a new staging system [Stage 0, X, I, II, III, IV] for describing the affected region by fungal infection.

The development and testing of Thai facial soft tissue thickness data in three-dimensional computerized forensic facial reconstruction

Forensic facial reconstruction is a useful tool to assist the public in recognizing human remains, leading to positive forensic investigation outcomes. To reproduce a virtual face, facial soft tissue thickness is one of the major guidelines to reach the accuracy and reliability for three-dimensional computerized facial reconstruction, a method that is making a significant contribution to improving forensic investigation and identification. This study aimed to develop a facial soft tissue thickness dataset for a Thai population, and test its reliability in the context of facial reconstruction. Three-dimensional facial reconstruction was conducted on four skulls (2 males and 2 females, with ages ranging between 51 to 60 years). Two main tools of three-dimensional computer animation and modeling software—Blender and Autodesk Maya—were used to rebuild the three-dimensional virtual face. The three-dimensional coordinate ( x, y, z) cutaneous landmarks on the mesh templates were aligned homologous to the facial soft tissue thickness markers on the three-dimensional skull model. The final three-dimensional virtual face was compared to the target frontal photograph using face pool comparison. Four three-dimensional virtual faces were matched at low to moderate levels, ranging from 30% to 70% accuracy. These results demonstrate that the facial soft tissue thickness database of a Thai population applied in this study could be useful for three-dimensional computerized facial reconstruction purposes.

Orthodontists in forensic facial approximation (FFA): current inter-disciplinary perspective

Forensic odontology has contributed significantly in forensic investigations and involves various branches of dentistry including orthodontics. The current communication presents evidence-based perspective highlighting synergistic union of different specialties for Forensic Facial Approximation (FFA). It brings forth commonality in principles of anthropology, forensic science, anthropometry, anatomy, paleontology, forensic odontology, with orthodontics, used in FFA. Various attributes and skills of orthodontists’ aid in dental and skull profiling and the corresponding sex, age, and ethnicity-based soft tissue assessments for facial soft tissue thickness (FSTT), may aid a life-like appearance. They can assist hard tissue profiling by their expertise in growth of skeletal and soft tissue, along with the evolutionary trends in occlusion, and diet formulations. Their knowledge in identifying teeth patterns, dental/skeletal jaw relationships, cranial/facial indices, vertical/horizontal facial proportions, can help prepare skull for orientation and reconstruction. The dental, photographic, and radiographic records maintained by orthodontists and general dentists are instrumental in data retrieval, used in various software, clinical, or research areas. These can provide normative values for comparative analysis or facial recreation. The orthodontists can also assist anthropologists and forensic specialists in the virtual reconstructions due to their ease in using latest digital technologies including three-dimensional (3D) facial scan, stereo-photogrammetry, 3D printing, automated soft-tissue landmarks, growth, and age predictions. Thus, the current study established the commonality in concepts of various forensic disciplines with orthodontics, which can strengthen both forensic on-field facial approximations and hard/soft tissue research to further enhance the accuracy of contemporary digital software used in FFA.

Three-Dimensional Evaluation of Soft Tissues in Hyperdivergent Skeletal Class II Females in Guangdong

Background: To establish the three-dimensional facial soft tissue morphology of adolescent and adult females in the Guangdong ethnic group and to study the morphological characteristics of hyperdivergent skeletal class Ⅱ females in Guangdong compared with the characteristics of normal groups.Materials and Methods: The 3dMDface system was used to capture face scans of 160 patients, including 45 normal and 35 hyperdivergent skeletal class II adolescents (aged 11–14 years old) and 45 normal and 35 hyperdivergent skeletal class II adults (aged 18–30 years old). Thirty-two soft tissue landmarks were mapped, and 21 linear, 10 angular and 17 ratio measurements were obtained by 3dMDvultus analysis software. Data were assessed with a t-test of two independent samples between the normal adolescent and adult groups and between the normal and hyperdivergent skeletal class II groups.Results: The linear measurements of the Guangdong adult females were larger than those of the adolescents. However, the angular and ratio measurements had little difference. The vertical linear measurements were higher and the sagittal and transverse linear measurements were smaller in the hyperdivergent class II group (p<0.05). The soft tissue ANB angle, chin-lip angle, and mandibular angle were significantly larger and the soft tissue facial convexity angle and nasal convexity angle were significantly smaller in the hyperdivergent class II group (p<0.05). Additionally, there were significant differences in the ratio measurements between the hyperdivergent class II groups and the control groups (p<0.05).Conclusions: The three-dimensional facial morphology of Guangdong adolescent and adult females was acquired. The facial soft tissue measurements of the adults were higher in height, width and depth, suggesting that from the adolescent to adult period, facial soft tissue grows in three dimensions. However, the facial convexity and proportional relationships were similar, suggesting that the growth pattern remained the same. The three-dimensional facial soft tissue features of hyperdivergent skeletal class II were characterized by the terms “long, convex, and narrow”, which was similar to the hard tissue features of hyperdivergent skeletal class II seen in previous studies. Three-dimensional facial measurements can reflect intrinsic hard tissue characteristics.

Reproducibility of Novel Soft-Tissue Landmarks on Three-Dimensional Human Facial Scan Images in Caucasian and Asian

Background Three-dimensional surface imaging is established in many disciplines for objective facial acquisition regarding anthropometry. Former studies addressed the validation of landmark-based measurements for single race. In order to distinguish racial difference, the reproducibility of the landmark measurements must first be validated. Objectives Our purpose is to validate the reproducibility of 46 facial soft-tissue landmarks on x, y, z axes to prove their reliability as 3D reference points. Methods The study included 80 European Caucasian and 80 Chinese volunteers. Standardized 3D surface imaging was performed using Vectra 3D system. Two raters identified and defined 46 landmarks (138 coordinates), then repeatedly 3D-imaged volunteers' facial region in separate sessions. Coordinates' reproducibility of landmarks is divided into three categories (< 0.5 mm, < 1 mm, and >1 mm) for intra- and inter-rater reproducibility assessments. Results Coordinates' reproducibility of 160 samples was distributed as follows: Intra-rater: < 0.5 mm (45%), < 1 mm (42%), >1 mm (13%); inter-rater: < 0.5 mm (31.2%), < 1 mm (42%), > 1 mm (26.8%). The reproducibility of landmarks in nasal tip region differs slightly between Caucasians and Asians. Compared to females, males typically have higher landmark reproducibility in lip and chin region. However, there were no differences in the reproducibility ranking of landmarks by gender. Conclusion The majority of the 46 landmarks in the 3D plane are reproducible to 1 mm, which is clinically acceptable. All selected landmarks showed strong consistency across race and gender, suggesting their potential use as reference points in prospective clinical practice. Level of Evidence IV This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

A computerized facial approximation method for archaic humans based on dense facial soft tissue thickness depths

Facial approximation (FA) is a common tool used to recreate the possible facial appearance of a deceased person based on the relationship between soft tissue and the skull. Although this technique has been primarily applied to modern humans in the realm of forensic science and archaeology, only a few studies have attempted to produce FAs for archaic humans. This study presented a computerized FA approach for archaic humans based on the assumption that the facial soft tissue thickness depths (FSTDs) of modern living humans are similar to those of archaic humans. Additionally, we employed geometric morphometrics (GM) to examine the geometric morphological variations between the approximated faces and modern human faces. Our method has been applied to the Jinniushan (JNS) 1 archaic human, which is one of the most important fossils of the Middle Pleistocene, dating back to approximately 260,000 BP. The overall shape of the approximated face has a relatively lower forehead and robust eyebrows; a protruding, wider, and elongated middle and upper face; and a broad and short nose. Results also indicate skull morphology and the distribution of FSTDs influence the approximated face. These experiments demonstrate that the proposed method can approximate a plausible and reproducible face of an archaic human.