Visual and statistical modeling of facial movement in patients with cleft lip and palate.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze and display facial movement data from noncleft subjects and from patients with cleft lip and palate by using a new dynamic approach. The hypothesis was that there are differences in facial movement between the patients with cleft lip and palate and the noncleft subjects.


METHODS
Subjects were recruited from the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry Orthodontic and Craniofacial Clinics.


METHODS
Sixteen patients with cleft lip and palate and eight noncleft "control" subjects.


METHODS
Video recordings and measurements in three dimensions of facial movement.


METHODS
Principal component (PC) scores for each of six animations or movements and dynamic modeling of mean animations.


METHODS
Multivariate statistics were used to test for significant differences in the PC mean scores between the patient groups and the noncleft groups.


RESULTS
No statistically significant differences were found in PC mean scores between the patient groups and the noncleft groups; however, the variability of the effect of clefting on the soft tissues during animation was noted when the noncleft data were used to establish a "normal" scale of movement. Compensatory movements were seen in some of the patients with cleft lip and palate, and the compensation was not unidirectional.


CONCLUSIONS
Measures of mean movement differences as summarized by PC scores between patients with cleft lip and palate and noncleft subjects may be misleading because of extreme variations about the mean in the patient group that may neutralize group differences. It may be more appropriate to compare patients to a noncleft normal scale of movement.
Trotman
Carroll-Ann
CA
Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 27599-7450, USA. Carroll-Ann_Trotman@dentistry.unc.edu
Faraway
Julian J
JJ
Phillips
Ceib
C
D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005152:Facial Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D016014:Linear Models; D008046:Lip / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009068:Movement; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D012904:Smiling / Q000502:physiology; D012984:Software; D014741:Video Recording