• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.42
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• pp.17.1-17.11
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• 2020

Background: To evaluate the facial asymmetry, three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) has been used widely. This study proposed a method to quantify facial asymmetry based on 3D-CT. Methods: The normal standard group consisted of twenty-five male subjects who had a balanced face and normal occlusion. Five anatomical landmarks were selected as reference points and ten anatomical landmarks were selected as measurement points to evaluate facial asymmetry. The formula of facial asymmetry index was designed by using the distances between the landmarks. The index value on a specific landmark indicated zero when the landmarks were located on the three-dimensional symmetric position. As the asymmetry of landmarks increased, the value of facial asymmetry index increased. For ten anatomical landmarks, the mean value of facial asymmetry index on each landmark was obtained in the normal standard group. Facial asymmetry index was applied to the patients who had undergone orthognathic surgery. Preoperative facial asymmetry and postoperative improvement were evaluated. Results: The reference facial asymmetry index on each landmark in the normal standard group was from 1.77 to 3.38. A polygonal chart was drawn to visualize the degree of asymmetry. In three patients who had undergone orthognathic surgery, it was checked that the method of facial asymmetry index showed the preoperative facial asymmetry and the postoperative improvement well. Conclusions: The current new facial asymmetry index could efficiently quantify the degree of facial asymmetry from 3D-CT. This method could be used as an evaluation standard for facial asymmetry analysis.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.48 no.10
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• pp.724-728
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• 2010

Accurate analysis of facial asymmetry prior to any orthognathic or orthodontic treatment plan is essential in ensuring good treatment result. Dental CBCT (Cone-beam Computed Tomography) provides as actual three-dimensional measurements of distance and angle without any radiographic magnification as medical CT provides, while its field of view is limited to the oral and maxillofacial area. CBCT is a useful tool for the diagnosis of facial asymmetry. The coordinates of facial landmarks are obtained from the 3D reconstruction software which enables the establishment of perpendicular planes and the identification of the landmarks. Then, the bilateral discrepancies of the landmarks are obtained as spherical polar coordinates which can show the amount of asymmetry and its direction. A method of 3D analysis of facial asymmetry using CBCT is introduced in this report.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.56-63
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• 2012

Objective: To identify the right and left difference of the facial soft tissue landmarks three-dimensionally from the subjects of normal occlusion individuals. Materials and Methods: Cone-beam computed tomography (CT) scans were obtained in 48 normal occlusion adults (24 men, 24 women), and reconstructed into 3-dimensional (3D) models by using a 3D image soft ware. 3D position of 27 soft tissue landmarks, 9 midline and 9 pairs of bilateral landmarks, were identified in 3D coordination system, and their right and left differences were calculated and analyzed. Results: The right and left difference values derived from the study ranged from 0.6 to 4.6 mm indicating a high variability according to the landmarks. In general, the values showed a tendency to increase according to the lower and lateral positioning of the landmarks in the face. Overall differences were determined not only by transverse differences but also by sagittal and vertical differences, indicating that 3D evaluation would be essential in the facial soft tissue analysis. Conclusions: Means and standard deviations of the right and left difference of facial soft tissue landmarks derived from this study can be used as the diagnostic standard values for the evaluation of facial asymmetry.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.227-232
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of methods of establishing the midsagittal reference plane (MRP) on the locations of midfacial landmarks in the three-dimensional computed tomography (CT) analysis of facial asymmetry. Materials and Methods: A total of 24 patients (12 male and 12 female; mean age, 22.5 years; age range, 18.2-29.7 years) with facial asymmetry were included in this study. The MRP was established using two different methods on each patient's CT image. The x-coordinates of four midfacial landmarks (the menton, nasion, upper incisor, and lower incisor) were obtained by measuring the distance and direction of the landmarks from the MRP, and the two methods were compared statistically. The direction of deviation and the severity of asymmetry found using each method were also compared. Results: The x-coordinates of the four anatomic landmarks all showed a statistically significant difference between the two methods of establishing the MRP. For the nasion and lower incisor, six patients (25.0%) showed a change in the direction of deviation. The severity of asymmetry also changed in 16 patients (66.7%). Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the locations of midfacial landmarks change significantly according to the method used to establish the MRP.

• Journal of information and communication convergence engineering
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.207-215
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• 2013

In this paper, we address the challenging computer vision problem of obtaining a reliable facial expression analysis from a naturally interacting person. We propose a system that combines a 3D generic face model, 3D head tracking, and 2D tracker to track facial landmarks and recognize expressions. First, we extract facial landmarks from a neutral frontal face, and then we deform a 3D generic face to fit the input face. Next, we use our real-time 3D head tracking module to track a person's head in 3D and predict facial landmark positions in 2D using the projection from the updated 3D face model. Finally, we use tracked 2D landmarks to update the 3D landmarks. This integrated tracking loop enables efficient tracking of the non-rigid parts of a face in the presence of large 3D head motion. We conducted experiments for facial expression recognition using both framebased and sequence-based approaches. Our method provides a 75.9% recognition rate in 8 subjects with 7 key expressions. Our approach provides a considerable step forward toward new applications including human-computer interactions, behavioral science, robotics, and game applications.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.207-212
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• 2014

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the deviation of landmarks from horizontal or midsagittal reference planes according to the methods of establishing reference planes. Materials and Methods: Computed tomography (CT) scans of 18 patients who received orthodontic and orthognathic surgical treatment were reviewed. Each CT scan was reconstructed by three methods for establishing three orthogonal reference planes (namely, the horizontal, midsagittal, and coronal reference planes). The horizontal (bilateral porions and bilateral orbitales) and midsagittal (crista galli, nasion, prechiasmatic point, opisthion, and anterior nasal spine) landmarks were identified on each CT scan. Vertical deviation of the horizontal landmarks and horizontal deviation of the midsagittal landmarks were measured. Results: The porion and orbitale, which were not involved in establishing the horizontal reference plane, were found to deviate vertically from the horizontal reference plane in the three methods. The midsagittal landmarks, which were not used for the midsagittal reference plane, deviated horizontally from the midsagittal reference plane in the three methods. Conclusion: In a three-dimensional facial analysis, the vertical and horizontal deviations of the landmarks from the horizontal and midsagittal reference planes could vary depending on the methods of establishing reference planes.

• Journal of IKEEE
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.613-618
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• 2021

Facial expression recognition has long been established as a subject of continuous research in various fields. In this paper, the relationship between each landmark is analyzed using the features obtained by calculating the distance between the facial landmarks in the image, and five facial expressions are classified. We increased data and label reliability based on our labeling work with multiple observers. In addition, faces were recognized from the original data and landmark coordinates were extracted and used as features. A genetic algorithm was used to select features that are relatively more helpful for classification. We performed facial recognition classification and analysis with the method proposed in this paper, which shows the validity and effectiveness of the proposed method.

• Journal of Korean Dental Science
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.19-30
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to assess the validity of three-dimensional (3D) facial scan taken with facial scanner and digital photo wrapping on the cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Materials and Methods: Twenty-five patients had their CBCT scan, two-dimensional (2D) standardized frontal photographs and 3D facial scan obtained on the same day. The facial scans were taken with a facial scanner in an upright position. The 2D standardized frontal photographs were taken at a fixed distance from patients using a camera fixed to a cephalometric apparatus. The 2D integrated facial models were created using digital photo wrapping of frontal photographs on the corresponding CBCT images. The 3D integrated facial models were created using the integration process of 3D facial scans on the CBCT images. On the integrated facial models, sixteen soft tissue landmarks were identified, and the vertical, horizontal, oblique and angular distances between soft tissue landmarks were compared among the 2D facial models and 3D facial models, and CBCT images. Result: The results showed no significant differences of linear and angular measurements among CBCT images, 2D and 3D facial models except for Se-Sn vertical linear measurement which showed significant difference for the 3D facial models. The Bland-Altman plots showed that all measurements were within the limit of agreement. For 3D facial model, all Bland-Altman plots showed that systematic bias was less than 2.0 mm and 2.0° except for Se-Sn linear vertical measurement. For 2D facial model, the Bland-Altman plots of 6 out of 11 of the angular measurements showed systematic bias of more than 2.0°. Conclusion: The facial scan taken with facial scanner showed a clinically acceptable performance. The digital 2D photo wrapping has limitations in clinical use compared to 3D facial scans.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.219-231
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• 2023

Objective: This study aimed to clarify differences in the positions of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) landmarks according to different midsagittal planes (MSPs) in patients with skeletal Class III facial asymmetry. Methods: Pre-treatment CBCT data from 60 patients with skeletal Class III were used. The patients were classified into symmetric (menton deviations of < 2 mm) or asymmetric (menton deviations of > 4 mm) groups. Six MSPs were established based on previous studies, and three-dimensional analyses were performed for the planes in both the groups. The measurement outcomes were compared statistically. Results: A statistically significant interaction (p < 0.01) was observed between MSPs and facial asymmetry. No significant differences were observed among MSPs in the symmetric group. However, significant differences in linear measurements were identified among MSPs in the asymmetric group. Specifically, the upper facial MSP revealed both maxillary and mandibular transverse asymmetries. On the other hand, anterior nasal spine (ANS)-associated MSP could not identify maxillary asymmetry. Furthermore, the menton deviation was approximately 3 mm lower when estimated using the ANS-associated MSP than that using upper facial MSP. Conclusions: The choice of MSP can significantly affect treatment outcomes while diagnosing patients with asymmetry. Therefore, care should be taken when selecting MSP in clinical practice.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.111-119
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• 2018

Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate the accuracy of linear measurements of 3-dimensional (3D) images generated by cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and facial scanning systems, and to assess the effect of scanning parameters, such as CBCT exposure settings, on image quality. Materials and Methods: CBCT and facial scanning images of an anthropomorphic phantom showing 13 soft-tissue anatomical landmarks were used in the study. The distances between the anatomical landmarks on the phantom were measured to obtain a reference for evaluating the accuracy of the 3D facial soft-tissue images. The distances between the 3D image landmarks were measured using a 3D distance measurement tool. The effect of scanning parameters on CBCT image quality was evaluated by visually comparing images acquired under different exposure conditions, but at a constant threshold. Results: Comparison of the repeated direct phantom and image-based measurements revealed good reproducibility. There were no significant differences between the direct phantom and image-based measurements of the CBCT surface volume-rendered images. Five of the 15 measurements of the 3D facial scans were found to be significantly different from their corresponding direct phantom measurements(P<.05). The quality of the CBCT surface volume-rendered images acquired at a constant threshold varied across different exposure conditions. Conclusion: These results proved that existing 3D imaging techniques were satisfactorily accurate for clinical applications, and that optimizing the variables that affected image quality, such as the exposure parameters, was critical for image acquisition.