title: Three-dimensional facial distances of Northern Sudanese persons from childhood to young adulthood.
abstract: No current age- and gender-related normative data exist for the dimensions of facial structures in Northern Sudanese subjects. In the current study information about normal sex- and age-related linear distances is provided. The three-dimensional coordinates of 14 landmarks on the facial soft tissues were obtained using a hand-held laser scanner in 653 healthy Northern Sudanese subjects (326 males and 327 females) aged 4-30 years. From the landmarks, 13 linear distances were calculated, and averaged for age and sex. Comparisons were performed by factorial analysis of variance. All analyzed linear soft tissue facial dimensions were significantly larger in men than in women (p < 0.01), except mouth width (ch-ch), upper facial height (n-sn), mandibular body length (pg-go) and width (go-go). All measurements underwent significant modifications as a function of age (p < 0.01), with significant age × sex interactions (p < 0.01) for all linear dimensions except lower face height (sn-pg). Overall, when compared to literature data for African and Caucasoid subjects, several differences were found, pointing to the necessity of ethnic-specific data. Data collected in the present investigation could serve as a database for the quantitative description of human facial morphology during normal growth and development.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute (Head: Prof. Chiarella Sforza), Università degli Studi di Milano, via L. Mangiagalli 31, Milano 20133, Italy. Electronic address: Chiarella.Sforza@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Chiarella
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sforza
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute (Head: Prof. Chiarella Sforza), Università degli Studi di Milano, via L. Mangiagalli 31, Milano 20133, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dolci
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute (Head: Prof. Chiarella Sforza), Università degli Studi di Milano, via L. Mangiagalli 31, Milano 20133, Italy.
authors.forename: Davide G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Tommasi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute (Head: Prof. Chiarella Sforza), Università degli Studi di Milano, via L. Mangiagalli 31, Milano 20133, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pisoni
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute (Head: Prof. Chiarella Sforza), Università degli Studi di Milano, via L. Mangiagalli 31, Milano 20133, Italy.
authors.forename: Marcio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Menezes
authors.affiliation: Khartoum Centre for Research and Medical Training (Head: Prof. Farouk Elamin), Khartoum, Sudan; Department of Oral Growth and Development (Head: Prof. Ferranti Wong), Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Fadil
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Elamin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D059925:Anatomic Landmarks / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D044383:Black People; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000208:ethnology; D005145:Face / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D007834:Lasers; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008445:Maxillofacial Development / Q000502:physiology; D009055:Mouth / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D009915:Orbit / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D012737:Sex Factors; D019291:Skull Base / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D013397:Sudan / Q000208:ethnology; D014716:Vertical Dimension; D044465:White People; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Aging; Digital anthropometry; Face; Growth; Northern Sudanese