A Cross-Sectional Study to Understand 3D Facial Differences in a Population of African Americans and Caucasians

Facial Morphometrics in Black Celebrities: Contemporary Facial Analysis Using an Artificial Intelligence Platform

The diversity of patients pursuing facial aesthetic and facial gender-affirming surgery (FGAS) is increasing, yet there is a paucity of objective guidelines to facilitate surgical decision-making in patients of color. We conducted a quantitative analysis of black celebrities using standardized frontal photos of 21 female and 21 male celebrities. Celebrities were chosen from popular entertainment magazines and websites, including People Magazine, the Internet Movie Database (IMDb), Cosmopolitan, and Essence. For each celebrity, 100 facial landmarks were detected through a facial analysis artificial intelligence (AI) program. Black males had greater facial height, bizygomatic width, lower facial height, and bigonial width than females. However, the facial height to bigonial width ratio was similar between genders and approximated the golden ratio (1.618). Female faces demonstrated a greater mid-face height to total facial height proportion, and males had a greater lower facial height proportion. Females exhibited an upward-slanted medial brow and shorter total eyebrow length, nose height, and alar width. Forehead height above the lateral brow was greater in males, while central forehead height was similar to females. This is the first study that has utilized AI to provide ethnicity-specific facial morphometrics relevant to facial rejuvenation and FGAS in the black population.

Five-point liquid rhinoplasty: Results from a retrospective analysis of a novel standardized technique and considerations on safety

BACKGROUND

Nonsurgical aesthetic improvement of the nose with hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers is becoming increasingly popular but comes with important safety considerations.

AIMS

To assess the safety and effectiveness of the standardized "five-point liquid rhinoplasty" approach.

METHODS

This was a retrospective, single-center analysis of consecutive adult patients undergoing nonsurgical aesthetic treatment of the nose. All had one of the three main indications (insufficient nasal projection, nasal hump, or deep glabella) and were injected using HA fillers with high elastic modulus. Treatments were given using some or all of the injection points of the "five-point liquid rhinoplasty" technique: P1 (nasal tip, 0.2-0.3 ml supracartilaginous); P2 (nasal root, 0.1-0.2 ml supraperiostal); P3 (cartilaginous dorsum, 0.1-0.2 ml supracartilaginous/supraperiostal); P4 (subnasal, 0.1-0.2 ml supraperiostal); and P5 (nasal alar, 0.1-0.2 ml per side supraperiostal). The risk of complications was minimized by injecting deep and staying in the midline as far as possible.

RESULTS

Twenty patients were enrolled (n = 15 female [75%]; mean age: 37.8 ± 11.7 years). The mean volume of filler used was 0.66 ± 0.35 ml per patient. Nineteen subjects (95%) said they were "very satisfied" with results, and the physician was also "very satisfied" with outcomes in 19 patients (95%). Two individuals experienced hematoma, which was managed conservatively; there were no other significant complications.

CONCLUSIONS

The "five-point liquid rhinoplasty" is a simple and effective method designed to maximize safety. It offers a good alternative to surgery in selected patients.

Use of Facial Morphology to Determine Nutritional Status in Older Adults: Opportunities and Challenges

Undiagnosed malnutrition is a significant problem in high-income countries, which can reduce the quality of life of many individuals, particularly of older adults. Moreover, it can also inflate the costs of existing health care systems because of the many metabolic complications that it can cause. The current methods for assessing malnutrition can be cumbersome. A trained practitioner must be present to conduct an assessment, or patients must travel to facilities with specialized equipment to obtain their measurements. Therefore, digital health care is a possible way of closing this gap as it is rapidly gaining traction as a scalable means of improving efficiency in the health care system. It allows for the remote monitoring of nutritional status without requiring the physical presence of practitioners or the use of advanced medical equipment. As such, there is an increasing interest in expanding the range of digital applications to facilitate remote monitoring and management of health issues. In this study, we discuss the feasibility of a novel digital remote method for diagnosing malnutrition using facial morphometrics. Many malnutrition screening assessments include subjective assessments of the head and the face. Facial appearance is often used by clinicians as the first point of qualitative indication of health status. Hence, there may be merit in quantifying these subtle but observable changes using facial morphometrics. Modern advancements in artificial intelligence, data science, sensors, and computing technologies allow facial features to be accurately digitized, which could potentially allow these previously intuitive assessments to be quantified. This study aims to stimulate further discussion and discourse on how this emerging technology can be used to provide real-time access to nutritional status. The use of facial morphometrics extends the use of currently available technology and may provide a scalable, easily deployable solution for nutritional status to be monitored in real time. This will enable clinicians and dietitians to keep track of patients remotely and provide the necessary intervention measures as required, as well as providing health care institutions and policy makers with essential information that can be used to inform and enable targeted public health approaches within affected populations.

Soft-Tissue Analysis of Different Sagittal Skeletal Patterns Using the Geometric Morphometric Method

OBJECTIVES

 This study aimed to investigate the size and shape variations of soft-tissue patterns in different sagittal skeletal patterns using the geometric morphometrics method (GMM) obtained from lateral cephalograms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

 This is a retrospective study, where the sample comprised of 188 Malaysian Malay subjects aged between 18 and 40 years and with different sagittal skeletal patterns. Overall, 71 males and 117 females were gathered for all size and shape analyses. This study incorporated 11 soft-tissue landmarks, which underwent landmark application using tpsDig2 software version 2.31, while the shape analysis was done using MorphoJ software version 1.07a.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

 Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 26. The result of the analysis of variance (ANOVA) test showed significant differences in some of the parameters between the landmarks. Length D, Length E, Length F, Length H, and Length I showed significant differences (p < 0.05), while other parameters showed no difference (p > 0.05).

RESULTS

 The shape variation of soft-tissue landmarks in different skeletal patterns existed in 18 different dimensions which showed by 18 principal components (PCs). Procrustes ANOVA and canonical variate analysis showed the size and shape differences of soft-tissue patterns between Class II and III and gender groups (p < 0.0001). In discriminant function analysis for Class II subjects, the classification accuracy was 98.4%, whereas subsequent to cross-validation, the classification accuracy was 90.6%. For Class III subjects, the classification accuracy was 96.6%, while after cross-validation, the classification accuracy was 90%.

CONCLUSION

 Different sagittal skeletal patterns demonstrated different soft-tissue shape variations. Class III showed the most protrusive upper and lower lips, while Class II demonstrated the most retrusive lower lip.

Lip Reshaping with LOVE Approach: A Prospective Analysis Based on Two Hyaluronic Acid Fillers

Aesthetic improvement of the lips with hyaluronic acid fillers is a popular procedure. A comprehensive, modular, and highly individualizable method has been developed: the Lip Omnicomprehensive Volume Enhancement (LOVE) approach. The present study assessed the safety and effectiveness of LOVE across different patient age groups.

3D Analysis of Tooth Movement Using 3D Technology

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

3D cone beam imaging (CBCT) has allowed clinicians to better understand the anatomical variations of cranial anatomy. One crucial aspect of this technology plays is the understanding of alveolar bone morphology and remodeling. Variations in cortical bone thickness between individuals have been reported. No published study has analyzed the relationship between cortical bone thickness and rate of tooth movement. The aim of this study is to begin answering the question: is there an association between rate of tooth movement and cortical bone thickness?

RECENT FINDINGS

Twenty-three patients underwent extraction of a single premolar in each of the four quadrants prior to orthodontic therapy. Routine clinical records including 3D CBCT images were acquired of all patients prior to first premolar extractions. Rate of tooth movement in each quadrant for each patient was determined via mesiodistal millimetric measurements obtained by a single calibrated operator. With CBCT images, cortical bone thickness was measured at various levels from the alveolar crest along the long axis of the to-be-extracted first premolars. The association between cortical bone thickness and rate of tooth movement was analyzed. Statistically significant associations were found between rate of tooth movement and cortical bone thickness at levels 2 mm, 5 mm, and 8 mm, apical to the alveolar crest in both the right and left maxillary quadrants (p < 0.05). Statistically significant associations were found between rate of tooth movement and cortical bone thickness at levels 5 mm and 8 mm apical to the alveolar crest in both mandibular quadrants (p < 0.05). Increased cortical bone thickness was associated with decreased rate of tooth movement. There was no statistically significant association between rate of tooth movement and cortical bone thickness 2 mm apical to the alveolar crest of the to-be-extracted first premolars in the mandibular left nor right quadrants (p > 0.05). Results suggest an inverse relationship may exist between cortical bone thickness and rate of tooth movement in both the maxilla and mandible. Cortical bone thickness may have the potential to serve as a predictive tool for rate of orthodontic tooth movement.

Socioeconomic status and race as social determinants of health to be considered in clinical use of pre-season vestibular and oculomotor tests for concussion

BACKGROUND

Aside from racial and socioeconomic disparities in computerized neurocognitive testing and symptomology, there is a scarcity of research representing more diverse populations on other widely used tests for concussion, including vestibular and visual assessment.

AIM

The aim of the study was to investigate if racial and socioeconomic differences exist on baseline vestibular/ocular motor screening (VOMS) and King-Devick (K-D) test performance in high school student-athletes.

METHODS

A total of 670 participants (66.1% White, 33.9% Black) with a mean age of 15.43±1.2 years were administered a baseline VOMS, average Near Point of Convergence (NPC) distance, and K-D test. The exposure variables included race (White or Black) and socioeconomic status (SES), defined as free and reduced lunch status (FRL or No-FRL). FRL status was determined by each participant's school SES. The outcome variables consisted of baseline VOMS item symptom provocation scores, average NPC distance, and K-D baseline time. A series of Mann-Whitney U tests were performed for K-D baseline time, NPC distance, and VOMS items with FRL status or race as a between-subject factor. Two multivariable linear regressions were run to assess the association of (1) K-D baseline times using FRL, race, sex, and corrected vision as variables in the model and (2) average NPC distance using FRL, race, sex, and corrected vision as variables in the model.

RESULTS

When adjusting for multiple comparisons, FRL athletes had slower (worse) K-D times (P<0.001) than non-FRL athletes. Black athletes had significantly lower mean NPC distance compared to White athletes at baseline (P=0.02) and FRL status athletes reported a significantly greater (worse) mean symptom provocation following the visual motion sensitivity item on the VOMS (P=0.02); however, these findings were no longer significant following adjustments for multiple comparisons. No differences were noted for any remaining VOMS items. The first model explained 3.9% of the total variance of K-D baseline times, whereas the second model was not significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Racial and SES differences existed on average NPC distance and the K-D test at baseline. Possible explanations for group differences may be neurobiological, anatomical, and/or disparity in nature. With a higher probability of undiagnosed and uncorrected vision impairment, vestibular dysfunction, and saccadic eye tracking deficits likely to be more apparent as a consequence of poverty or health inequities, it is important that healthcare providers, especially those that diagnose and treat concussions, understand that performance on the VOMS and K-D tests at baseline may be subject to sociodemographic factors of SES and race.

RELEVANCE FOR PATIENTS

To provide the most culturally competent care, clinicians should consider sociodemographic variables of race and SES as social determinants of health worthy of attention on objective and subjective measures of baseline concussion assessment.

3D Analysis of Facial Morphology of a Colombian Population Compared to Adult Caucasians

Objective:  The purpose of this study involves describing the facial morphology of a Colombian population with three-dimensional (3D) imaging, and comparing their facial morphology with the Caucasian to create a database for this ethnicity.

Materials and Methods:  The study, which included 135 subjects selected from the Valle University in Cali, Colombia, and 535 Caucasian subjects selected from the FaceBase–Data (1U01DE024449–01), was funded by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. All images were taken in the natural head position (NHP) and captured using a stereo-photogrammetric camera system (3dMDface) to obtain a 3D image of each patient. The subjects were between 19 to 31 years of age, with a normal body mass index (BMI), and no craniofacial deformities. All images were plotted and analyzed using the 3dMDVultus software to calculate linear and angular measurements. Standard deviation (SD) and means were calculated for each measurement and analyzed using t -test for different samples.

Results:  The Hispanic population had wider eyes, more protruded upper and lower lips, wider face, and greater mandibular width. Caucasian females had a more acute full profile, larger middle third, and less protrusive lips. Understanding the facial morphology of different populations would help to establish a better diagnosis and treatment planning for each ethnicity.

Conclusions:  From this study, the following conclusions may be drawn:

1. The mean values of Colombian males showed greater measurements than females in the majority of measurements.

2. Caucasian females had a more acute full profile, larger middle and lower third, and less protrusive lips.

3. This study showed significant ethnic differences in the linear and angular measurements, showing us the importance of considering these findings in the diagnosis and treatment planning when a Hispanic population is involved. Soft tissue values should reflect the norms according to each ethnic population in order to achieve treatment goals.

A Comparison of 3D Facial Features in a Population from Zimbabwe and United States

OBJECTIVES

 The purpose of this study was to determine the differences in three-dimensional (3D) facial features in a population from Zimbabwe and the United States. In addition, this study seeks to establish an average facial template of each population allowing clinicians to treat patients according to their cultural esthetic perceptions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

 Three hundred one subjects from Zimbabwe and the United States were carefully selected and recruited for the study. Each subject presented with a normal facial profile, no asymmetries, and normal body mass index. The 3D images were captured using the 3dMD cameras. All images were further separated into male and female groups of the respective populations and imported to a dedicated software for analysis.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

 The 3D facial images were constructed using Rapidform 6 software to recreate a composite facial average for each group representing a male and female average 3D face of Zimbabwean (Zim) and United States origin.

RESULTS

 The linear measurements showed that the maximum average distance between the Zim-M and Zim-F was 1.24 mm and the minimum distance between the African American (AA)-M and AA-F was 0.24 mm. This was the absolute distance. When the signed linear measurements were taken into consideration, the maximum average distance between Zim-F and AA-M was 1.22 mm and the least average distance between the Zim-M and AA-M was 0.22 mm. The absolute color histograms showed greatest similarity between the Zim-M and AA-M at 58% and the Zim-F had a 25 and 27% similarity with the AA-F and Zim-M, respectively.

CONCLUSION

 The Zim-F showed the most variable features with a broader face, prominent forehead, and retruded alar base compared with their male counterparts and the Zim-M showed a wider prominent malar/zygomatic region, and prominent lateral supraorbital regions. There was a high similarity of 58% between the Zim-M and the AA-M, with the Zim-M showing a more protrusive superciliary arches, and a lateral zygomatic region tapering to the root of the nose.