Study of the Facial Angle in Dried Skulls of South Gujarat Region

Dr. Bhadreshkumar P Vaghela; Dr. Deepak S. Howale; Dr. Jayeshkumar P Vaghela

Volume : VII, Issue : X, October - 2018

Study of the Facial Angle in Dried Skulls of South Gujarat Region

Dr. Bhadreshkumar P Vaghela, Dr. Deepak S. Howale, Dr. Jayeshkumar P Vaghela

Abstract :

Introduction:

Measurements of the skull are important in certain neurological conditions, grossly misshapen cranium and abnormally large heads. A science which deals with study of the quantitative physical differences is called as �Anthropometry�. Craniometry is concerned with the measurement on the cranium and skeleton of the face. The Facial angle measurement technique used to know evolutionary base of humans and primates. A Facial angle is the angle that is formed between a line passing form a base of nose the upper border of external acoustic meatus and another line passing from the most prominent part of the forehead to base of nose.

Aim:

To study the facial angle in dried skull in south Gujarat region and to compare with facial angle of different races in world. To compare evolution of prefrontal cortex in association with increase in the facial angle from animals to humans.

Material and Method:

A total 75 number dried skull collected from South Gujarat. We have measured this skulls for the Facial angle during the period of April 2015 to September 2016. The facial angle measured by skulls placed in Frankfurt�s plane. The Facial angle is measured with two still protractor and two still scales by placing one scale in Frankfurt plane and another in vertical from nasion to prosthion and angle was measured with instrument called protractor.

Results:

Out of 75 dried skull, minimum Facial angle measured is 84� and maximum is 90�. The average Facial angle measured is 87�. In view of type of skull 70 number of skull (94.66%) are Orthognathous type, 4 number of skull (4.0%) are Mesognathous type, 1 number of skull (1.33%) are Prognathous type.

Conclusion:

The facial angle of an orthognathous skull is large (measured by whichever method), the term being more or less definitely employed as the opposite of prognathous where the angle is small, or as the mean between prognathous and hyperorthognathic or opisthognathous, where the angle is excessively large. As the increase in Facial angle also there is considerably increase in the size of prefrontal cortex in different races of humans and also from primate to humans.

If we compare the size of the human ain with primates, the human ain is 3 times larger. Also in comp� proportions of individual parts, they are also different. So logically to accommodate this enlarged prefrontal cortical area of the ain frontal bone of the skull must be enlarged and forehead become prominent and chin placed backwards to form flat splanchnocranium. So on this evolutionary basis due to enlargement of prefrontal cortex and frontal lobe we found increased facial angle in humans compared to other species.