Background/Objectives: An accurate description of facial sexual dimorphism is essential in clinical, forensic, and anthropological contexts to support accurate diagnosis of craniofacial dysmorphisms and differences, treatment planning and evaluation, as well as biological profiling, craniofacial reconstruction, and personal identification. This study investigates sexual dimorphism of the facial soft tissues in a sample of healthy Italian adults, providing reference data and deepening our understanding of normal craniofacial variation. Methods: Three-dimensional stereophotogrammetric facial images of 342 Italian adults (172 males and 170 females; 18-40 years old) were analyzed using a 3D spatially dense geometric morphometric approach to assess both shape and form. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) were used to explore facial variation and to quantify sex-related differences. Results: Centroid size was significantly larger in males. While PCA revealed that sex is a significant factor in facial shape and form variation, PLSR highlighted the existence of significant associations between sex and both shape and form. Color-coded morphometric maps underlined the most sexually dimorphic traits: males exhibited bigger faces with deep-set eyes and central facial projection extending from the supraorbital rims to the chin, whereas females display smaller faces with fuller cheeks, and a more vertical forehead profile. Conclusions: While our results are consistent with those of previous studies, our study revealed important, distinctive group-specific traits: flatter labiomandibular folds in males and wider temples and fuller cheeks in the infraorbital region extending to zygomatic and mandibular areas in females. Thus, this study provides high-resolution reference data supporting related applications.

ObjectiveTo compare surface and volumetric measurements obtained from 3D digital palatal casts of patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP) acquired using 2 optical systems: laser scanning (Dental Wings 3Series) and stereophotogrammetry (Vectra 3D Imaging System).DesignRetrospective methodological study.Setting:International clinical and laboratory-based research collaboration.Patients, ParticipantsNinety-six palatal casts from 32 patients with unilateral CLP (UCLP), aged from birth to 1 year.InterventionsAll casts were digitized using both instruments. Surface area and volumetric measurements were obtained following validated protocols.Main Outcome Measure(s)Operator reliability and interinstrument reproducibility were assessed using the technical error of measurement (TEM), relative TEM (rTEM), percentage error variance, and Student's t-test.ResultsBoth surface area and volumetric measurements showed high operator reliability, with low TEM values and error variances below 2%. Surface area measurements demonstrated good agreement between the systems. In contrast, volumetric measurements differed significantly between instruments, indicating limited interinstrument reproducibility.ConclusionsSurface measurements are consistent across different acquisition systems and are suitable for multicenter and longitudinal studies. In contrast, volumetric measurements are significantly influenced by the acquisition device, highlighting the need for consistent instrumentation when comparing volumetric data in clinical settings.

Handheld systems for three-dimensional (3D) imaging of facial soft tissues are gaining increasing attention due to their affordability, portability, and user-friendliness. However, their reliability for 3D facial analysis should be verified before being integrated into clinical and research settings. We tested a novel device, the Revopoint MIRACO Pro, on 55 adults and a mannequin head, and we compared it with two validated devices. Intra- and inter-instrument reliability for traditional anthropometric parameters was evaluated through several statistical approaches. Additionally, the Root Mean Square (RMS) point-to-point distance was calculated between 3D images acquired through the different devices. Overall, all three instruments consistently reproduced the 3D facial structure across subjects, with 25 out of 27 measurements demonstrating high intra- and inter-device agreement and non-clinically significant biases. Furthermore, surface area assessments proved highly reliable, whereas volume measurements did not, and the RMS showed clinically acceptable congruence with slight variability caused by facial mimicry and involuntary movements of participants. Despite its affordability and practicality, the Revopoint MIRACO Pro requires multiple scans around the face, causing motion artifacts that may limit its applicability in less cooperative cohorts, such as children or patients with cognitive and neurological impairments, unless further validation studies demonstrate its clinical suitabilityin these groups.

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a rare genetic connective tissue disorder whose early detection is critical to prevent life-threatening cardiovascular complications. To support the diagnostic process, which currently relies on complex and costly clinical assessments and genetic testing, we propose a 3D vision-based method for rapid, non-invasive screening for MFS using facial scans. The method analyzes 3D facial morphology using Graph Neural Networks on either manually or automatically extracted landmarks, leveraging geometric relationships to capture subtle craniofacial patterns and a statistically derived sparse graph topology to improve robustness and accuracy; moreover, an adjustable decision threshold enables context-dependent prioritization of a low false-negative rate for MFS diagnosis. Experimental evaluation on a high-resolution dataset of 440 subjects (126 MFS and 314 controls) demonstrates strong discriminative performance (AUC up to 0.98, and classification accuracy above 93%).

Background:Facial anthropometric analysis is a valuable tool for assessing growth and development in children. It allows for continuous patient monitoring, facilitates the identification of morphological variations and asymmetries, supports diagnostic processes, contributes to the planning and predictability of therapeutic interventions, and aids in evaluating treatment outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate Vectra H2® stereophotogrammetry system for facial anthropometry analysis in children. Methods:Thirty participants were selected, ranging from 5 to 12 years old. Prior to the acquisition of facial images, nineteen anatomical landmarks were marked with a black eyeliner pen on the participants' faces, so that 14 linear measurements could be quantified. The three-dimensional (3D) image of the facial surface was captured using the stereophotogrammetry equipment. First, linear measurements were quantified directly on the participant's face using a digital caliper. In the second phase of the anthropometric analysis, the same linear measurements were taken on the 3D image using stereophotogrammetry system software. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) test was applied to evaluate intra- and inter-examiner errors. For data analysis, Pearson's and Spearman's correlation coefficient tests were applied. The mean absolute difference (MAD) was used to describe the differences. Data were presented as mean/standard deviation and median/interquartile deviation. Results:All 14 facial measurements showed statistically significant difference (P<0.05). The measurements Tr-G, G-Pn, G-Sn, Ene-Che, and End-Chd demonstrated very strong correlation (r values between 0.9485 and 0.9026), while Ald-Ale, Exe-Che, Sn-Ls, Sn-Pg, Ls-Li, Exd-Chd, and Chd-Che measurements exhibited strong correlation (r values between 0.8821 and 0.7094). Acd-Ace and Cphe-Cphd measurements showed moderate correlation (r=0.5790 and r=0.6982). The measurements Sn-Ls and Ene-Che presented a lower MAD value (0.53), and the measurements Ald-Ale showed the highest value (5.38). Conclusions:Vectra H2® facial stereophotogrammetry system proved to be a validated and reliable method for facial anthropometry analysis in children.

Objectives Primary objective To collect platforms, URLs, time coverage, and related data for the sources listed in the Cochrane Handbook, through systematic web searching. Secondary objective To assess the reporting quality of these data on the websites of organizations providing the sources. Methods Active sources listed in either the Main Text or Technical Supplement of Cochrane Handbook Chapter 4 were included. Google Search in Incognito mode, websites of organizations providing the sources, and relevant individuals and organizations were systematically searched up to 29 October 2025. The web was searched using three complementary strategies: search box, handsearching, and text mining. For each source, the following data were collected: multiple service providers and platforms, homepage URL, basic and advanced search URLs (only for free sources), date of coverage, year of launch, and detailed methods for record retrieval, with contributing founts considered the primary method. The reporting of the collected data was assessed using an original method conceptually similar to the revised Cochrane “Risk of Bias” tool for randomised trials (RoB 2.0). Data-level judgements informed an overall judgement about reporting (not reported, unclear, reported, not applicable, free/charged or charged). Results Overall, 82 sources and 156 source–platform combinations were included. A comprehensive table including platforms, URLs, time coverage, and related data was provided. Service providers, platforms, homepage URLs, and basic search URLs, were reported in most cases (97.2–100.0%), whereas advanced search URLs appeared in just over half of the combinations (57.1%). Time coverage and related data were the least frequently and clearly reported (not reported: 37.8%; unclear: 9.8%). Within the domain of time coverage, the year of launch was the least frequently reported (not reported: 62.8%), followed by date of coverage (25.6%), and methods/founts (25.0%). Conversely, methods/founts were the least clearly reported (unclear: 17.9%), followed by date of coverage (7.7%), and year of launch (3.8%). Conclusions A comprehensive table including platforms, URLs, time coverage, and related data for 82 sources and 156 source–platform combinations listed in the Cochrane Handbook was provided. The reporting of the date of coverage and methods for record retrieval by the organizations providing the sources was suboptimal and sometimes unclear. Providers should be encouraged to report source data more transparently and consistently on their websites.

Background: The characterization of facial sexual dimorphic patterns in healthy populations serves as valuable normative data to tailor functionally effective surgical treatments and predict their aesthetic outcomes and to identify dysmorphic facial traits related to hormonal disorders and genetic syndromes. Although the analysis of facial sexual differences in juveniles of different ages has already been investigated, few studies have approached this topic with three-dimensional (3D) geometric morphometric (GMM) analysis, whose interpretation may add important clinical insight to the current understanding. This study aims to investigate the location and extent of facial sexual variations in juveniles through a spatially dense GMM analysis. Methods: We investigated 3D stereophotogrammetric facial scans of 304 healthy Italians aged 3 to 18 years old (149 males, 155 females) and categorized into four different age groups: early childhood (3–6 years), late childhood (7–12 years), puberty (13–15 years), and adolescence (16–18 years). Geometric morphometric analyses of facial shape (allometry, general Procrustes analysis, Principal Component Analysis, Procrustes distance, and Partial Least Square Regression) were conducted to detail sexually dimorphic traits in each age group. Results: The findings confirmed that males have larger faces than females of the same age, and significant differences in facial shape between the two sexes exist in all age groups. Juveniles start to express sexual dimorphism from 3 years, even though biological sex becomes a predictor of facial soft tissue morphology from the 7th year of life, with males displaying more protrusive medial facial features and females showing more outwardly placed cheeks and eyes. Conclusions: We provided a detailed characterization of facial change trajectories in the two sexes along four age classes, and the provided data can be valuable for several clinical disciplines dealing with the craniofacial region. Our results may serve as comparative data in the early diagnosis of craniofacial abnormalities and alterations, as a reference in the planning of personalized surgical and orthodontic treatments and their outcomes evaluation, as well as in several forensic applications such as the prediction of the face of missing juveniles.

Sex estimation is a cornerstone of biological profiling in forensic anthropology. However, in cases involving badly decomposed, burnt, or fragmented remains, traditional assessments may be unfeasible, requiring alternative approaches, such as radiological and medical imaging. The cranium is a valuable indicator of sex, yet its dimorphic traits may be fragmented or altered, hindering interpretation. In such scenarios, radiological techniques targeting protected cranial structures—such as the paranasal sinuses—offer a promising alternative. Although these sinuses exhibit sexual dimorphism, their full potential for sex estimation remains partially underexplored. This study aimed to develop a logistic regression model for sex estimation in a contemporary Italian population based on volumetric measurements of the frontal, maxillary, and sphenoid sinuses, combined with selected cranial linear dimensions (biorbital breadth, upper facial height, and nasal spine length). CT scans from 222 individuals were analyzed. Volumetric measurements were obtained from 3D sinus models individually segmented from the CT scans, while linear cranial dimensions were measured on volume-rendered 3D skull reconstructions. Two predictive models were developed on a training subset and subsequently validated on an independent validation subset, both achieving an overall accuracy of approximately 80% in both phases. The most predictive variables were the volumes of the right frontal and maxillary sinuses, upper facial height, and nasal spine length, which showed the most significant sexual dimorphism. These findings are consistent with the literature on sexual dimorphism of paranasal sinuses and reflect the anatomical variability of structures like the sphenoid sinus. This study demonstrates that volumetric assessment of paranasal sinuses combined with selected cranial dimensions can provide more reliable sex estimation in forensic contexts. The integration of radiological imaging with statistical modelling offers a practical framework for situations where conventional skeletal analysis is compromised, reinforcing the role of advanced radiology in expanding the methodological toolkit of forensic anthropology.

This observational, cross-sectional study evaluated healthy Caucasian Brazilian individuals’ normal lip dimensions according to sex and age (20–50 years) using stereophotogrammetry. A total of 130 individuals divided into four groups according to sex and age were analyzed using stereophotogrammetry. Ten linear lip, five angular lip, and three lip surface measurements (upper, lower, and total lip vermilion) were obtained. Comparisons were performed using two-way ANOVA. Mouth width, philtrum width, and lower lip cutaneous height were significantly greater in men than women. The upper lip height, upper lip cutaneous height, and average lower vermilion lip angle were significantly larger in men than women and increased with age (group), with medium or large effect sizes. A sex × group interaction was present for total vermilion height, upper vermilion height, total lip height, lower lip height, average upper vermilion lip angle, average Cupid’s bow angle, mentolabial angle, and upper and total vermilion lip areas. When factors interact (sex/group), one affects the outcome of the other. Relevant linear lip measures were greater in men than women and increased with age in a mixed population from 20 to 50 years old. Thus, the lip and mouth are severly impacted by aging.

Spatiotemporal parameters and leg and joint stiffness are variables that represent the fundamental dynamics of running. Therefore, these variables may effectively differentiate between less-experienced and more-experienced runners' gait, possibly addressing differing injury rates between populations. We compared stiffness and spatiotemporal parameters between runners with different experience levels, including a group with no previous running experience. Healthy physically active participants (22.1 ± 3.6y) were divided into three groups, according to experience: experienced (running >1-year, 14-48 km/week; n = 23, 9F), novice (running <1-year, 5-21 km/week; n = 15, 4F) and non-runners (no running for the past 5 years; n = 17, 7F). Three-dimensional motion capture and force plates measured gait mechanics during overground running at 3.35 m·s-1. Knee, ankle and three-dimensional leg stiffness, contact time, flight time and step length were compared between groups using independent-measures ANCOVA (covariate = sex). No biomechanical variable was significantly different between the groups (leg: p = 0.652, Hedges' g = 0.09-0.17; ankle: p = 0.439, g = 0.07-0.19; knee: p = 0.153, g = 0.13-0.29; contact time: p = 0.592, g = 0.06-0.24; flight time: p = 0.513, g = 0.03-0.40; step length: p = 0.107, g = 0.26-0.61). Stiffness and spatiotemporal parameters were not different between runners with greater than 1-year of experience when compared to runners with less than 1-year experience and non-runners. Therefore, running gait may not differentially affect injury rates between experience levels.

This study investigates the potential of Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) for analyzing 3D facial morphology, leveraging facial landmarks as graph nodes to capture the intrinsic structure of 3D face scans. This research evaluates the effectiveness of three distinct approaches for defining graph vertices by associating them with: (1) a well-established set of anthropometric landmarks identified through tactile assessment, widely considered the gold standard in facial anthropometry; (2) automatically detected 3D facial keypoints estimated using advanced algorithms; and (3) geometry-based random point cloud sub-sampling via farthest point sampling (FPS). To evaluate the effectiveness of GNNs and facial landmarks in capturing and representing meaningful morphological patterns, the study employs two benchmark tasks: gender classification and age regression. Extensive experiments across various GNN architectures and three datasets — each presenting diverse and challenging conditions — demonstrate that semantically meaningful landmarks, whether anthropometric or automatically detected, consistently outperform non-semantic random samples in both tasks and across all datasets. These results highlight the crucial role of semantic contextualization in graph-based facial analysis. Notably, models utilizing automatically detected facial keypoints achieved performance comparable to those based on manually annotated anthropometric landmarks, offering a scalable and cost-effective alternative without compromising accuracy. These findings support the integration of automated GNN-based methodologies into a wide range of applications, including clinical diagnosis, forensic analysis, and biometric recognition.

BACKGROUND:Reduced cognitive ability may affect sports performance and increase injury risk. Current cognitive function screening tools in athletes include stationary procedures that may lack external validity, whole-body movements, and time constraints. We aimed to study the reliability and the between- and within-session variations of newly developed cognitive-motor tests. METHODS:Twelve physically active participants participated in two experimental sessions. In each session, they completed a test battery to assess sport-relevant cognitive-motor domains (reaction time, processing speed, divided attention, visual memory, peripheral vision) using a specific training system, including devices with a LED matrix and proximity sensor. Each test comprised three blocks of 25 trials or 4 blocks of 20 trials. Test-retest reliability was assessed using two-way mixed-effects intraclass correlation coefficient. Within- and between-session changes were assessed using repeated measures ANOVA and paired t-tests. RESULTS:Reliability ranged from moderate to excellent (ICC: 0.51-0.94). Processing speed and divided attention scores significantly improved in the second session (Δ: 5.3-7.7%, P<0.017; Δ: 12.0-13.7%, P<0.001, respectively). No changes were detected within the same experimental day, except for divided attention that improved across session 1 (1st vs. 3rd block: Δ=5%, P=0.014). CONCLUSIONS:Given the results, some tests can be discarded, or the number of trials reduced due to lower reliability and long duration, resulting in a test battery that is overall shorter but reliable and accurate. Further research is warranted to evaluate the predictive ability of this protocol for injury risk identification in different sport-relevant populations.

The influence of incompleteness and fragmentation of skeletal remains on novel methods for pair-matching is still unaddressed.For this study 154 innominate bones from 77 male individuals were selected. The bones presented different rates of preservation, which was systematically assessed, including three classes.The models were acquired with a stereophotogrammetric device and edited to isolate the iliac region. For each class, the left model was mirrored and superimposed on the right one, and the point-to-point distance of each superimposition was recorded in terms of Root-Mean-Square (RMS) value. Seventy-seven superimpositions between true-matches and 30 superimpositions between mismatches (10 for each class of preservation) were performed. Statistical differences between RMS values of the three classes were investigated with atwo-way analysis of variance (ANOVA)test (p < 0.05). ANOVA revealed significant main effects for both "Type of superimposition" (match or mismatch), and "Class of preservation", both with a p-value < 0.001. Significant differences between matches and mismatches within each level of "Class of preservation" were found (p < 0.001), with matches having significantly lower RMS values compared to mismatches. Overall, the results showed the interaction between the Type of superimposition and Class of preservation, where the preservation state significantly affects the RMS outcome of the superimposition. For the first time, this test systematically demonstrated that the RMS distance values of bones affected by postmortem damage differ according to the extent of the damage. Medium to considerable damage intensively affect the performance of the 3D-3D pair-matching, leaving this issue unresolved for future studies.

This cross-sectional observational study aimed to establish facial linear and angular measurement values for Mozambique adults and to determine the morphologic differences between sexes and ages using stereophotogrammetry. One hundred and sixty-six Mozambique individuals categorized into 8 groups by age (20–65 y) and sex were assessed. Anthropometric points were marked on the face, and 3D images were captured. Linear and angular measurements were obtained and evaluated. Two-way ANOVA and Tukey’s test were used to determine differences among groups and sexes, with significance set at P <0.05. Significant differences in linear and angular measurements were observed between the groups and sexes. Differences were evident in 13 of 15 linear measurements, with higher values observed in men than in women. Women showed higher angular measurements than men in 4 of 6 measurements. Sexual dimorphism was confirmed by significantly higher linear measurements in men and increased angular measurements in women. Morphologic changes with aging included decreased eye width and lip height, increased mouth width, and augmented nose measurements, particularly in men. In addition, the nasolabial angle widened with age, and women exhibited more pronounced facial convexity than men. This study aims to gain insights into the facial metrics of diverse populations and utilize these findings in clinical practice to enhance prosthetic flow and forensic training and develop a comprehensive population database.

Purpose: To evaluate the facial esthetics of complete denture treatment using a 3D analysis of the lower third of the face before and after treatment by comparing and correlating measurements. Materials and methods: A total of 31 edentulous patients were enrolled, and 3D images were captured before (T1) and after (T2) complete denture delivery. Twelve landmarks were established in the face. Linear, angular, surface, and perimeter measurements were evaluated and compared with paired t test. The delta (Delta) values (T2-T1) were assessed using Spearman correlation to verify the associations between all measurements according to the facial parameters (alpha = .05). Results: Statistical differences were identified in the lower third of the face in the linear measurement Sn-Gn (P = .006), the angular measure Tright-Pg-Tleft (P = .004), and at the surface of the lower third of the face (P = .001). All measurements were statistically different in the labial protrusion area: the nasolabial angle (Prn-Sn-Ls), the surface, and the perimeter (P = .001). In the lip evaluation, statistical differences were observed in the linear (Ls-Li), surface, and perimeter measurements (P = .001). Conclusions: The facial esthetic proportions of the linear and perimeter measurements increased and the angles of sealed lips and nasolabial and lower facial convexity decreased after complete denture delivery. The present study showed a clinically important correlation between linear and angular measurements that should help restore facial esthetics, providing metrics that can aid the clinician in facial composition.

Purpose: Despite the accuracy of heart rate (HR) as an indicator of the aerobic engagement has been evaluated in several intermittent on-court activities, its validity as an oxygen uptake (V-O2) indicator during shuttle running over short paths remains uncertain. Moreover, it is unclear whether speed may affect such validity. This study evaluated the HR ability in estimating the V-O2 during 5-m shuttle running at different speeds. Methods: V-O2 and HR of 12 physically active young men were recorded during an incremental forward running (FW) protocol and a 5-m shuttle test at 50%, 60%, and 75% of maximal aerobic speed (MAS). Slope and intercept of the relationship between HR and V-O2 (HR/V-O2) were individually determined, in both protocols. The HR measured during the shuttle test was used in the FW HR/V-O2 to estimate V-O2 at each shuttle speed. A paired Student's t-test compared slopes and intercepts of the two HR/V-O2. A two-way RM-ANOVA and an equality test examined, respectively, the differences and the equality between measured and estimated V-O2. Lastly, a Bland-Altman plot described the accuracy and precision of the estimated V-O2 at each shuttle intensity. Results: Slopes and intercepts of the HR/V-O2 appeared not different between FW and shuttle running. At 50%MAS, HR underestimated the V-O2 (similar to 7%), whereas returned accurate values at the two higher velocities, although with high variability (+/- 18%). Conclusions: When using HR as V-O2 indicator during shuttle running over short paths, a separated analysis of the HR validity as V-O2 indicator is recommended especially when administering different exercise intensities.

Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term clinical outcomes of zirconia-based prostheses used for tooth-supported or implant-supported single crowns and fixed dental prostheses (FPD).Methods The authors conducted a prospective analysis of 562 zirconia core restorations supported by endodontically treated teeth or titanium implant in 276 patients in a general dental private practice, with a follow-up period of 15 years. The study was stopped after patients achieved 15 yrs of follow-up. The study analyzed the failure and complication rates of single and multiple crowns, based on Kaplan Meier analysis.Results During follow-up period, there were 26 complications and 156 failures. The crown level analysis revealed a cumulative failure rate of 28.33% and complication rate of 8.47% for zirconia crowns after 15 years. The complication rate was found to be higher for titanium implant-supported than for natural teeth-supported crowns. The different types of crown-based failure include: veener fracture 5.01% (N = 29), metal zirconia led to 14.85% (N = 86) loss of retention, and 1.73% (N = 10) loss of crown due to extraction.Conclusion Based on these findings, zirconia core restorations appear to be a reliable long-term solution for crowns and fixed dental prostheses.Clinical relevance The study suggests that zirconia restorations can be successfully used for long-term prostheses on natural teeth or implants supported. The study results provide clinicians valuable information when selecting prosthetic restorations material.

Background The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in lip metrics before and after facial rejuvenation treatment with hyaluronic acid-based fillers and to compare them with those of a control group using stereophotogrammetry (3D). Methodology This study included 63 Caucasian women divided into Group C (<30 years, n=30) and Group H (>30 years, n=33), which was further divided into before (HT0) and after (HT1) lip augmentation with hyaluronic acid (HA). Eleven anthropometric landmarks were identified for linear, angular, and surface area measurements. Three photos were captured in Group C, while Group H had photos taken at T0 and T1. Statistical analysis was conducted using the Shapiro-Wilk test to evaluate normality, the Kruskal-Wallis test and one-way ANOVA. Tukey's post hoc and pairwise comparison tests were performed to analyze differences between variables (P value < 0.05). Results There were significant differences between lip width (ChR-ChL) and philtrum width (CphR-CphL) (P<.001). The total heights of the upper (Ls-Li) and lower vermilion lips (Sto-Li) increased, and the heights of the upper (Sn-Ls) and lower (Li-Sl) cutaneous lips decreased. The angles related to the philtrum (ChR-CphR-Ls, P<.001; ChL-CphL-Ls, P<.001) and nasolabial angle (Prn-Sn-Ls) (P<.001) exhibited significant differences. The surface areas of the upper, lower, and total vermilion lip showed significant differences (P<.001). Tukey's test indicated no significant differences in surface area after lip augmentation between the HT1 and C groups. Conclusion Analysis of lip morphology after a filler procedure revealed a reversal of age-related changes, with increases in vermilion lip height and surface area comparable to those of younger individuals. Level of Evidence II This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

This cross-sectional observational study aimed to evaluate and compare facial metrics in women aged 20-65 years using a three-dimensional (3D) stereophotogrammetry system and to establish standardized values for facial metric variations in different age subgroups. This study included 84 Caucasian women divided into two groups based on their age: group 1 (G1) included women aged 20-40 years and group 2 (G2) included women aged 41-65 years. Twenty-one morphometric points on the face were identified, and the facial images were captured using a 3D stereophotogrammetry system, Twenty-three linear measures and 12 angular measures were evaluated, revealing statistically significant differences in 11 linear and 5 angular measures between the groups. In the G2 group, nasal and mouth width, lip philtrum height, Tragus-Nasion and Tragus-Pronasale lengths were increased, along with increased nasofrontal angle, decreased palpebral fissure inclination, and lip vermilion angles. However, palpebral fissure width and height, binocular width, and lip vermilion height were reduced. The aging process in women causes substantial changes in facial features, particularly in the middle and lower thirds of the face. Conversely, no major changes were observed in the upper third of the face. Our study findings provide potential insights for clinicians in developing facial rejuvenation procedures as well as for forensic purposes and surgical planning. The standardized facial metrics values in different age subgroups can guide clinicians in determining appropriate treatment plans for patients seeking facial rejuvenation.

Objectives: This investigation aimed to assess the optimal timing for lip repair in children with cleft lip and palate via 3D anthropometric analysis to evaluate their maxillofacial structures. Methods: The sample comprised 252 digitized dental models, divided into groups according to the following timing of lip repair: G1 (n = 50): 3 months; G2 (n = 50): 5 and 6 months; G3 (n = 26): 8 and 10 months. Models were evaluated at two-time points: T1: before lip repair; T2: at 5 years of age. Linear measurements, area, and Atack index were analyzed. Results: At T1, the intergroup analysis revealed that G1 had statistically significant lower means of I-C′, I-C, C-C′, and the sum of the segment areas compared to G2 (p = 0.0140, p = 0.0082, p = 0.0004, p < 0.0001, respectively). In addition, there was a statistically significant difference when comparing the cleft area between G2 and G3 (p = 0.0346). At T2, the intergroup analysis revealed that G1 presented a statistically significant mean I-C′ compared to G3 (p = 0.0461). In the I-CC’ length analysis, G1 and G3 showed higher means when compared to G2 (p = 0.0039). The I-T′ measurement was statistically higher in G1 than in G2 (p = 0.0251). In the intergroup growth rate analysis, G1 and G2 showed statistically significant differences in the I-C′ measurement compared to G3 (p = 0.0003). In the analysis of the Atack index, there was a statistically significant difference between G1 and the other sample sets (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: Children who underwent surgery later showed better results in terms of the growth and development of the dental arches.