Objective computerized evaluation of normal patterns of facial muscles contraction

Different methods used to evaluate the movements of the face have many degrees of subjectivity and reliability. The authors discuss the ease of using these methods in clinical practice or their accuracy in scientific research.

To obtain the standard for normal facial muscles movements using an objective method - the Vicon system.

Light reflective markers were placed at points of interest on the face of 12 normal subjects. The movements were captured by cameras that sent the images to a computer. The points' displacements were measured between rest and maximum muscle contraction; and we calculated the means and the standard deviations (SD) were calculated.

When smiling, the variation of the oral commissures was between 6.45 and 12.11 mm, mean of 9.28 mm and SD od 2.83; for lifting the eyebrow, it is between 6.0 and 13.08 mm, mean of 10.57 mm and SD of 2.51; for eyelids movement there was a variation of 6.89 and 11.29 mm, with a mean value of 9.09 mm and SD of 2.20; for the movement of wrinkling the forehead, the results showed a variation of 4.16 and 10.85 mm, with a mean value of 7.56 and SD of 3.29.

The authors obtained normal patterns for facial muscle contraction.