Comparison of anthropometry and digital photography techniques in facial proportion analysis

It is useful to determine facial proportions in different communities to find an index for assessment of esthetics. The aim of this study was to determine several facial indices in females and males and compare them with the golden ratio and finally to compare anthropometry and digital photography techniques. In this cross-sectional analytical study, 20 female and 20 male subjects with no history of orthodontic treatment and facial esthetic surgery were selected. The subjects all had Cl I occlusion. Digital photographs were taken from all the subjects in the natural head position. Independent t-test, one-sample t-test and paired t-test were used for statistical analysis (α = 0.05). There were no significant differences between the two anthropometry and digital photography techniques in relation to measurements (p value < 0.05). The average ratios of oral width to nasal width, the distance between the nasal base and the chin to the distance between underneath the nose to the chin, the inter-zygomatic width to the nasal width in females, and the distance between the underneath of the nose and the chin to the distance between the nasal base and the chin in males were higher. Other ratios were not statistically significant in females and males. The majority of variables in males and females were different from the golden ratio (p value < 0.05), except for the ratios of oral width to the distance between the inner canthi of the eyes in females and males and the distance between the nasal base and the chin to the distance between the underneath of the nose to the chin in males (p value < 0.05). Based on the results of this study both methods can be used for facial ratio analysis but computed technique is reproducible and can be carried out in less time with greater accuracy. Due to differences of most of ratios of the present study from the golden ratio, it can be concluded that this ratio cannot always be used as a standard for treatment planning for dentists and surgeons in Iran.