title: Soft tissue profile changes of the midface in patients with cleft lip and palate following maxillary distraction osteogenesis: a preliminary study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to examine preoperative to postoperative changes of soft tissue profiles in the midface of cleft patients who underwent maxillary distraction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nine cleft patients were examined (distraction group). Lateral cephalograms were obtained preoperatively and 6 months after distraction. Changes in the positions of soft and hard tissue landmarks, the nasolabial angle, and facial height were investigated and compared with those in 9 other cleft patients who underwent conventional maxillary advancement (conventional group).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Anterior changes of the soft and hard tissue landmarks were significantly larger in the distraction group than in the conventional group. The distraction group tended to have larger increases in the nasolabial angle and subnasal length, as well as a higher anterior movement ratio for soft to hard tissue.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that, in the midfacial profile changes of cleft patients who underwent maxillary distraction, not only is advancement of soft and hard tissue large, but also anterior movement ratio for soft to hard tissue is relatively high.
authors.affiliation: Branch of Oral Surgery, Department of Oral Restitution, Division of Oral Health Sciences, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Yushima, Japan. harada.osur@tmd.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Harada
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Baba
authors.forename: Kimie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohyama
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Omura
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002508:Cephalometry; D002648:Child; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000601:surgery; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000601:surgery*; D005145:Face / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000601:surgery*; D019647:Oral Surgical Procedures; D019857:Osteogenesis, Distraction; D010865:Pilot Projects; D063173:Retrognathia / Q000601:surgery*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome