Preliminary study of sex differences of facial soft tissue thickness related with facial reconstruction in a thai population

Abstract

Objective: Facial soft tissue thickness (FSTT) is a crucial component that can determine and carry out the virtual face on the facial reconstruction procedure. There is an influence of sex on FSTT that affects the virtual face in facial reconstruction. Therefore, the present study aims to examine sex differences of FSTT in a Thai population. Materials and Methods: The FSTTs were measured from Thai fresh cadavers (8 males, 8 females) obtained from the Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University. The FSTTs were measured at 26 landmarks (10 midline and 16 lateral landmarks) by using a needle puncture technique, and mean values were obtained for males and females in each landmark. Results: Six landmarks had significant differences between the mean values of males and females: Pogonion (p = 0.005), Right Maxilla (p = 0.044), Right Supra M2 (p = 0.040), Left Infra M2 (p = 0.016), Right Gonion (p = 0.013), and Right Border of mandible (p = 0.031), respectively. Moreover, when considering the mean value of FSTT between males and females, the average thickness values were higher for females, especially in the area of the mouth and jaw. Conclusion: The mean value of FSTT obtained in this study should be useful for application in both two-and three-dimensional forensic facial reconstruction purposes. Furthermore, it is necessary to separate the data sets for males and females as well as to collect more samples in future studies.