The Volume Difference Along the External Surface of the Zygomatic Bone: A Novel Method of Measuring Zygomatic Bone Asymmetry

This study introduced the volume difference along the external surface (VDAES) of the zygomatic bone as a novel approach to assess zygomatic bone asymmetry and was the first to describe a distinctive, 4-step method of measuring it. VDAES has a potential to be used as an objective tool to evaluate dislocation and can assist surgeons in predicting risks of long-term cosmetic complications in patients with zygomaticomaxillary complex fractures. After having measured 100 healthy study participants, the observed median VDAES was 1.48 cm3 for all study participants, 2.02 cm3 for males, and 1.09 cm3 for females, with the gender difference being significant (P = 0.003). Additional studies are needed to test the hypothesis of whether VDAES is more relevant than conventional methods of clinically evaluating zygomatic bone asymmetry.