Differences in the Metric Dimensions of Craniofacial Structures with Aging in Korean Males and Females

Kim, Hee Jin; Kim, Kee Deog; Choi, Jong Hoon; Hu, Kyung Seok; Oh, Hyun Joo; Kang, Min Kyu; Hwang, Young Il

Abstract

In order to identify the sexual difference and the aging changes on the cranial metric dimensions and to clarify the anthropological characteristics of Korean skulls, authors took the radiographs of lateral skull projections and made out perspective drawings and measured 33 cranial metric dimensions using 32 standard points of normal Korean 373 heads. The results were as follows. 1. 4 items of metric dimensions on the calvarial thickness were greater in the male than the female and all the calvarial thicknesses of younger adults were thicker than the older adults. 2. As a result of measuring 11 items of skull size including the maximum cranial length (glabella to opisthocranion diameter) and the cranial height (basion to vertex diameter), all average metric dimensions of the skull were shown the sexual difference. 3. Among the metric dimensions of skull size, the maximum cranial length (glabella to opisthocranion diameter) was not different between the younger and older adults, but the cranial height (basion to bregma diameter) was greater in the younger than the older adults. 4. In according to the metric dimensions of the cranial base, the length and the angle of the cranial base were shown the sexual difference, that is, all dimensions on the cranial basewere greater in the males. 5. The breadth and height of pituitary fossa were greater in the older female than the younger females. 6. Metric dimensions on the sella position related to other cranial landmarks were shown the sexual difference, but there were no differences between the younger and older adults. 7. Metric dimensions on the frontal sinus were shown the greatest sexual difference and there were the differences between the younger and older males, not in the females. Taken all together, all the basic anthropological data of Korean crania in this study will be helpful to the sexual discrimination, and will be applied to other basic medical and dental sciences.