Facial reconstruction: An art and science of making a face alive out of skeletal remains. - An overview

Abstract

By the end of the 19th century, anatomists, anthropologists and forensic odontologists began to study the relationship between the facial soft tissues and the underlying bony structure of the skull. All the techniques of facial reconstruction rely upon this hypothesized relationship. The ultimate aim of all facial reconstructions for forensic purposes is to recreate an in vivo countenance of an individual, normally when no other identifying evidence is available, bearing a sufficient visual resemblance to the missing or deceased person, so that it may contribute to their recognition and lead to identification via the discovery of new evidence. Facial reconstruction can be achieved by two basic techniques. These are two dimensional (2D) and 3D facial reconstructions. Each of these techniques is further divided into (1) manual and (2) automated techniques. With the advancement in 3D technology, a rapid, efficient and cost effective computerized 3D forensic facial reconstruction method has been developed which has brought down the degree of error previously encountered. This article refers to the techniques of facial reconstruction and different imaging modalities used for computer-aided facial reconstruction.