Comparison of asymmetric degree between maxillofacial hard and soft tissue in facial asymmetric subjects using three-dimensional computed tomography

Kim, Wang Sik; Lee, Ki Heon; Hwang, Hyeon Shik

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the asymmetric degree between maxillofacial hard and soft tissues in individuals with facial asymmetry. Computerized tomographies (CT) of 34 adults (17 male, 17 female) who had facial asymmetry were taken. The CT images were transmitted to personal computers and then reconstructed into three-dimensional (3D) images through the use of computer software. In order to evaluate the degree of facial asymmetry, 6 measurements were constructed as the hard tissue measurements while 6 counterpart measurements were taken as the soft tissue measurements. The means and standard deviations were obtained for each measurement using 3D measure, then t-test was used to investigate the differences between each hard tissue measurement and the corresponding soft tissue measurement. All measurements used in the present study showed statistically significant differences between the hard and soft tissues. The degree of soft tissue asymmetry was smaller than that of corresponding hard tissue asymmetry in case of chin deviation, frontal ramal inclination difference, and frontal corpus inclination difference. On the other hand, the degree of soft tissue asymmetry was greater than that of underlying hard tissue asymmetry in the measurement of lip canting and lip cheilion height difference. The present study suggests that asymmetric differences of hard and soft tissue is observed in facial asymmetric subjects, and thus soft tissue analysis is needed in addition to hard tissue analysis when making an evaluation of facial asymmetry.