Facial Anthropometric Norms of the Young Iranian Population

Abstract

Introduction: Facial anthropometric measurement is considered an essential concern of surgeons, orthodontists, artists and forensic scientists. The aim of this study is to investigate facial anthropometric norms of the young Iranian population. Methods: The study participants consisted of 200 healthy Iranian students (100 males, 100 females) aged 18–25 years old. Twenty-three liner and four angular measurements were investigated twice by a dentist. Independent-samples t test was used to compare indices between males and females and also between countries. A p value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: It was found that the mean measurements of c’–sn’ of both sides, nasolabial angle, trichion–gnathion, tragion–tragion and gnathion–gnathion were statistically greater in Iranian males than in females (p < 0.05). Comparing Iranian anthropometric norms with North American Whites, Malays, Turkish and African American women demonstrated that there were statistically significant differences in most anthropometric measurements between Iranians and other populations (p < 0.05). Conclusion: In Iranians, mean measurements of c’–sn’ of the right and left sides, nasolabial angle, trichion–gnathion, tragion–tragion and gnathion–gnathion were greater in men than in women. Comparing Iranian males and females with different ethnicities indicated several interracial differences, which should be taken into consideration when dealing with patients or also practitioners originated in this region.