Facial soft tissue thickness of Brazilian living sub-adults. A cone-beam computed tomography study

Human identification is indispensable for both legal and humanitarian reasons. However, there are situations where bodies are not recognizable, and there are no suspected identities. In these cases, Forensic Facial Reconstruction (FFR) can be performed. The obtained face later can be conveyed in the media, leading to recognition and bringing chances of future identification. In order to perform a FFR, knowledge of facial soft tissue thicknesses (FSTT) is necessary. The objective of this study was to measure FSTTs of living subadult Brazilian individuals, employing Cone-Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) images of 126 Brazilian subadults (48 children: 7–11 y.o and 78 adolescents: 12–18 y.o).The FSTTs of 21 craniofacial landmarks were measured, using Osirix Lite software. For each landmark, mean and standard deviation were calculated. Sex, age, ancestry and body mass index (BMI) were considered. Significant difference (p < 0.05) between males and females was observed at supraglabella, glabella, nasion, rhinion, mid-philtrum, supradentale, infradentale, menton and frontal eminence. In these landmarks, males presented higher FSTTs than females. Adolescents presented significant higher FSTTs than children at mid-philtrum and infradentale. Individuals with above normal BMI presented significantly higher FSTTs, compared to normal BMI, at supraglabella, mental eminence, lateral orbit, zygomatic arch, gonion, supra M2, occlusal line and sub M2. The obtained data constitute an important contribution to the realization of FFRs of Brazilian children and adolescents. In Brazil there is a high rate of disappearance and homicides of minors; the FSTT databases could help to achieve more accurate FFRs, increasing the possibilities of recognition.

Keywords

Computed tomography, Cone beam computed tomography, Facial soft tissue thickness, Forensic anthropology, Forensic dentistry, Forensic facial reconstruction, Forensic imaging, Human identification, Radiological examination, Skull