O reconhecimento por meio da reconstrução facial forense é possível graças às pesquisas sobre as espessuras dos tecidos moles e características dos anexos faciais (olhos, boca, nariz e orelhas) e, a fidelidade dessas características são essenciais no processo do reconhecimento e posterior identificação. Na literatura científica, poucos trabalhos relacionam as orelhas à reconstrução facial forense. Este estudo tem como objetivo analisar as particularidades das orelhas, avaliando formato, tamanho, inclinação e posição, propor uma metodologia de classificação com vistas a uma maior reprodutibilidade que a forma atual existente e estabelecer relação com o biotipo facial. Diante da já referida dificuldade em se avaliar o formato da orelha foi elaborada uma abordagem mais objetiva que se mostrou eficaz quando da comparação entre o Índice Kappa (Cohen) realizado entre a forma atual e a forma proposta (de 0,63 para 0,83 intraexaminador e de 0,19 para 0,61 interexaminador). Foi também observada a predominância da orelha do tipo oval da população estudada. Foram avaliadas 99 fotografias de uma amostra de conveniência obtidas em um Pronto Socorro Odontológico particular da zona sul da cidade de São Paulo, composta por indivíduos de ambos os sexos com idade superior a 18 anos. Quanto às mensurações, o ICC intra e interexaminador obtiveram o mesmo resultado de 0,99. A análise comparativa entre os sexos revelou que o sexo masculino possui orelhas maiores quando comparado ao feminino. O estudo da inclinação da orelha em relação ao crânio mostrou um ângulo médio formado entre seu longo eixo e o Plano de Frankfurt de 73º para 76% dos homens e 69,76% das mulheres. Quanto à relação da orelha com outras estruturas, em 81,6% dos casos, o ponto mais superior da orelha coincide com a sobrancelha.

In the field of forensic facial reconstruction (FFR), recognition is possible due to the soft tissue thickness and facial features (eyes, face, nose, and ears) studies. The accuracy of these characteristics is essential to the facial recognition process and posterior identification. In the scientific literature, few studies have associated the ears with the FFR. This study aims to analyze the attributes of the ears, evaluating their format, size, inclination, and position; to propose a methodology for classification of the ear to achieve better reproducibility compared to the current one; and to establish a relation to the facial biotype. Because of the difficulty in evaluating the ear format, it has been developed a more objective approach. Such method has shown to be effective for comparison of Cohens Kappa Coefficient between the current technique and the proposed one (from 0,63 to 0,83 intraexaminer and from 0,19 to 0,61 interexaminer). A convenience sample of 99 photographs, composed of individuals of both sexes 18 years and older, obtained from a private odontology emergency clinic in São Paulo, was analyzed. A predominance of the oval ear format was observed in the studied population. Regarding the measurements, the ICC intra and interexaminer showed the same result of 0,99. The comparative analysis between the sexes revealed that the male population possesses greater ears when compared to the females. Regarding the ear inclination related to the skull, the study demonstrated an average angle of 73o, between the long axis and the Frankfurt Plane, in 76% of men and 69,76% of women. As for the relation between the ear and other structures, in 81,6% of the cases, the highest point of the ear coincided with the eyebrow. In the field of forensic facial reconstruction (FFR), recognition is possible due to the soft tissue thickness and facial features (eyes, face, nose, and ears) studies. The accuracy of these characteristics is essential to the facial recognition process and posterior identification. In the scientific literature, few studies have associated the ears with the FFR. This study aims to analyze the attributes of the ears, evaluating their format, size, inclination, and position; to propose a methodology for classification of the ear to achieve better reproducibility compared to the current one; and to establish a relation to the facial biotype. Because of the difficulty in evaluating the ear format, it has been developed a more objective approach. Such method has shown to be effective for comparison of Cohens Kappa Coefficient between the current technique and the proposed one (from 0,63 to 0,83 intraexaminer and from 0,19 to 0,61 interexaminer). A convenience sample of 99 photographs, composed of individuals of both sexes 18 years and older, obtained from a private odontology emergency clinic in São Paulo, was analyzed. A predominance of the oval ear format was observed in the studied population. Regarding the measurements, the ICC intra and interexaminer showed the same result of 0,99. The comparative analysis between the sexes revealed that the male population possesses greater ears when compared to the females. Regarding the ear inclination related to the skull, the study demonstrated an average angle of 73o, between the long axis and the Frankfurt Plane, in 76% of men and 69,76% of women. As for the relation between the ear and other structures, in 81,6% of the cases, the highest point of the ear coincided with the eyebrow.