ПОРІВНЯННЯ СИМЕТРИЧНОСТІ СТРУКТУР ЛИЦЯ У ЧОЛОВІКІВ ТА ЖІНОК ЗРІЛОГО ВІКУ

Introduction. One of the distinctive features of the human body is its asymmetry. Facial asymmetry ranks among the most common occurrences according to scientific literature and is a frequent reason for patients seeking surgical correction.The aim of our study was to determine the frequency of physiological asymmetry in various facial structures and regions in mature men and women.Material and Methods. The study group, formed by randomization, included 40 individuals—20 men and 20 women, with 10 participants from each of the two periods of maturity (men aged 22–35 and 36–60 years, and women aged 21–35 and 36–55 years, respectively). All participants sought dental or cosmetic services. We evaluated the symmetry of facial width, eye size and shape, eyebrows, eyelids, nasolabial folds, mouth corners, smiles, nasal position, nostril size and shape, ear size, shape, and position, as well as the alignment of the midline between the central incisors of the upper and lower jaws.Results. The examination revealed that none of the individuals in the randomized sample showed a complete absence of visual signs of asymmetry in facial structures or regions. Asymmetry was identified in one or more parameters in various combinations: asymmetry in a single parameter was observed in 15 individuals (37.5%), while multiple parameters were noted in 25 individuals (62.5%). Isolated asymmetry was most commonly observed in the nasolabial folds and the misalignment of the midline between the central incisors (7.5% each). Less frequently, asymmetry of the eyebrows, eyelids, and smile was noted (5% each), followed by facial width and eye size and shape (2.5% each).The most common combinations involved asymmetry in the eyebrows, eyelids, and eye size and shape or in the nasolabial folds, mouth corners, smile, and midline alignment between the central incisors of the upper and lower jaws. The highest number of asymmetry indicators – eight – was found in one man from the first period of maturity and one woman from the second period of maturity.Conclusions. 1. Signs of asymmetry were observed in all examined men and women of mature age. 2. With age, the percentage of individuals with asymmetry in multiple parameters increased. 3. Smile asymmetry was the most frequent among all parameters studied, except for women in the first age group. Nasal and nostril asymmetry was the least common. 4. The number of asymmetry indicators and cases decreased with age in men but increased in women. The highest number of asymmetry indicators was found in men in the first period of maturity, while the highest frequency of asymmetry was observed in women in the second period of maturity.