Preliminary cephalometric study of the relationship between facial morphology and sex

Abstract

Morphology of the face depends on many factors, such as sex, ethnicity, race, climate, nutrition, genetic constitution and socio-economic status. In the developed countries, there is well established database on facial anthropometry and for the purpose of identification. In Ghana however, there is very little documented information on cephalometric indices for biometric and forensic purposes. This study therefore, aimed at establishing baseline data to assess the relationship between sex using upper, lower and total cephalometric indices. One hundred participants made up of sixty males and forty females from KNUST were recruited for the study. Linear facial anthropometry were taken using calibrated Shahe digital calipers whiles participants sat with head in natural position. The facial anthropometric measurements were generally higher in males than in females. Upper facial height, facial width, nasal width, biocular diameter, lower facial height, lip length and total facial height were statistically significant and (p < 0.05). The present study shows the existence of statistically significant sexual dimorphism in the study population using cephalo-facial dimensions. Keywords: Cephalometry, Facial height, Facial width, Nasal width, Biocular diameter, Sexually dimorphic