Heritability of Facial Characteristics between Parents and Offsprings: A Photographic Study

Aims and objectives: Facial morphology is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors which interact in complex ways to determine the form and function of the craniofacial complex. Many studies have been done to know the amount of heritability of the skeletal components but hardly are known about the heritability of soft tissue pattern which is compared by everyone as soon as the child born. Cephalometry and photography is used in orthodontics to document the appearance of the face. Considerable progress has been made in the development of its application in orthodontics. Thus, the study was done to know the heritability of soft tissue pattern between parents and their offsprings by using photographs. Materials and methods: The sample consisted of 140 children and their parents. Material was collected from both the genders of children above the age of 16 years. Frontal and right lateral photographs of the entire sample were taken in the standardized pattern. Tracings were made on all the photographs. Twenty-seven parameters of linear and proportional measurements were measured. Results: Statistically significant correlations between parents and their offspring were found. It was found that daughters had greater genetic influence from both the parent than sons. Higher correlation was found for the mandibular position, chin prominence, nasal prominence, nasal width, lip length at philtrum, facial height and lip prominence. Conclusion: The evidence of significant genetic contribution was there for linear and proportional parameters. Sons showed stronger heritability to their mothers than to their fathers while daughter showed heritability from both the parents. Thus, the soft tissue form of offspring can be predicted from parental data and the information from the siblings can also be used.