# Facial Soft Tissue Thickness Values for Romanian Adult Population  
[PERSON]  
1 Forensic Science Department, Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy \"[PERSON]\", 700115 Iasi, Romania; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (M.M.D.); ddavid.sofiafayhoo.com (S.D.); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (A.S.); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (D.B.I)  
[PERSON]  
2 Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, 700506 Iasi, Romania; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (M.F.); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (N.R.)  
[PERSON]  
3 Morpi-Functional Department I, Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy \"[PERSON]\", 700115 Iasi, Romania; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (N.G.); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (C.L.)  
3 Morpi-Functional Department I, Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy \"[PERSON]\", 700115 Iasi, Romania; noran.  
began by modeling clay or plasticine to restore the depth of soft tissue on the skull of the deceased. This tissue depth (thickness of the cranio-facial soft tissues) is established by measuring it at certain points and interpreting those measurements. The key to cranio-facial reconstruction lies in the understanding that each head/skull has distinct features that gives the individuality of a person. It is also important for each population to hold such values of soft tissue thickness, as each population is characterized by unique and individual traits [4; 5].  
The points measured to estimate the values of the thickness of the facial soft tissues are called craniometric landmarks (or facial landmarks) These landmarks are key points of the face with a certain biometric and geometric significance. These can have a skeletal or a soft tissue base, depending on where it is located, on the bone or directly on the skin. In the first case, they are called craniometric landmarks of hard tissue, and in the second case, they are called craniometric landmarks of soft tissue [4; 5; 6; 7].  
The establishing of the soft tissue thicknesses values, as well as the relationship between soft and hard tissue, can be made by means of radiological data--X-ray, computed tomography, nuclear magnetic resonance, ultrasound--which can be in vivo, or on cadaveric material, the last one being a direct method via needle puncture [1; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12]. International literature is characterized by vast research regarding soft tissue thicknesses values. Thus, a number of countries (France, Brazil, Portugal, etc.) have conducted and are conducting numerous research to establish soft tissue thicknesses values and to develop methods for craniofacial reconstruction (based on computed-tomography images, cadavers, X-ray, etc.), specific to each population [1; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12; 13].  
Despite all these developments, the Romanian population does not have any research data regarding the soft tissue thicknesses values to allow for an accurate craniofacial reconstruction. The importance of these data for Romania is, first, for the alignment at the international standard of the forensic identification process, and, second, to help the development of research in forensics. Another important aspect is the fact that Romania is a country with a predisposition for disasters with multiple victims because it is a country with an important seismic activity.  
This study examines the distribution of values and the relationships among twelve craniometric landmarks for a dataset containing information on 100 Romanian adults. Data centrality, overall and on sexes, is compared with results from previous studies on similar populations (Caucasians) and data collection techniques. Identifying the landmarks with significant differences between sexes and among weight categories can provide valuable support in estimating the missing values when data collection is incomplete and/or the bodies are unidentified. Thus, the main purpose of this study was to develop and propose standard values for the thickness of cranio-facial soft tissues for the adult population of Romania.