Quantifying the Dynamic Smile: A Novel 3-D Technology for Precise Facial Analysis

BACKGROUND: Facial reanimation provides patients with facial palsy the ability to generate facial movement and therefore communicate emotions; however, results are often criticized as incomplete or unnatural. There is little reliable objective data for outcomes analysis of facial reanimation. This is largely secondary to a lack of means of objectively and quantitatively evaluating the dynamic face. This pilot study introduces Digital Image Correlation (DIC) and speckle tracking as a novel technology for precisely quantifying the re-animated face during dynamic activity.