Anthropometric Analysis of the Mouth in Koreans

Kim, Soon Heum; Kim, Na Yeon; Lee, Soo Hyang; Choi, Hyun Gon; Shin, Dong Hyeok; Uhm, Ki Il; Lee, Jeong Yong; Song, Wu Chul; Koh, Ki Seok

Abstract

PURPOSE: The objective of this study is anthropometric analysis of mouth and lower face of Korean. The relationship of soft-tissue to underlying bony structures determine the overall aesthetics of the face. The goal of aesthetic surgery of the face is to achieve the ideal normal and enhance the aging face. The purpose of present study was to determine the change of the morphology of the mouth and lower face based on soft-tissue landmarks according to age group to facilitate prediction during aesthetic surgery.
METHODS
The standardized photographs of 2,018 healthy volunteers(18 to 79 years of age; 1,070 males, 948 females) were investigated. Age groups were classified into young, middle-aged, and elderly groups. Five and seven items were measured on frontal and lateral view photographs, respectively. Individual dimensions were compared in the three age groups and between males and females.
RESULTS
The width of mouth is 4.5 times larger than that of philtrum. Most of measured data decreased with age. However, woman's lip width of the mouth somewhat increased from the young to elderly. The width of lower face is 2.5 times larger than mouth in young age group and increased slightly from the young to middle- aged and thereafter slightly decreased to elderly group. Upper lip was more higher than lower lip and male lip was more higher than female. But male and female lip height is similar at old age.
CONCLUSION
Most of Koreans showed prominent lower face because of the development or protrusion of the mandible. And the descent of soft-tissue around the mouth was one of the significant characteristics of senile change. The posterior retrusion of the subnasal was an another characteristic. This study will help to elucidate the age-related dimensional differences of the human being and to provide useful information for clinical applications in oral and aesthetic surgery.