Evaluation of the relationship between nasal septal deviation and development of facial asymmetry with anthropometric measurements depending on age

Aim: It was aimed to determine the change of facial asymmetry resulting from nasal septal deviation (SD) depending on age, gender, degree of deviation and the affected area besides the effect of SD on somatotype and craniofacial morphology. Materials and methods: 171 volunteers (90 males, 81 females), 27 individuals aged 9-13, 44 individuals aged 14-18, 44 individuals aged 19-23 and 56 individuals in control group participated in the study conducted in otorhinolaryngology polyclinic.11 photometric, 16 anthropometric measurements were taken from the participants. Results: SD affects facial asymmetry formation, although not statistically significant compared to healthy individuals asymmetry rates (p>0.05). It was determined that the degree of SD affected asymmetry only between the ages of 14-18 (in adolescence) and the development of asymmetry in all SD patients was not statistically dependent on age and gender (p>0.05). Photometric measurements demonstrated asymmetries in horizontally-extending parameters of 1/3 middle part of face. There was no statistically significant difference in the cranial anthropometric measurements of the upper and lower 1/3 of the face compared to the control group (p>0.05). The order of the most asymmetrical parameters is Alare-Zygion, Alare-Subnasale, Cheilion-Gonion, Exocanthion-Cheilion, Midsagittal plane-Zygion, Zygion-Cheilion, Zygion-Gonion, Subalare-Cheilion, Glabella-Exocanthion. In all participants were determined that endomorph somatotype was dominant in female and mesomorph somatotype was dominant in male besides SD did not affect somatotype and somatotype did not alter with age. Conclusion: The development of facial asymmetry due to SD is not affected by age and gender furthermore SD does not affect craniofacial asymmetry and somatotype.