Effects of lip repair on maxillary growth and facial soft tissue development in patients with a complete unilateral cleft of lip, alveolus and palate.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationship between lip repair and inhibition of maxillary growth, and to investigate the characteristics of upper lip in patients with complete unilateral clefts of lip, alveolus and palate.


METHODS
Lateral cephalometric radiographs and photographs (anterior-posterior and profile) were taken for 3 groups of patients: (1) 35 complete unilateral cleft lip, alveolus and palate cases in whom only a labioplasty was performed as infants; (2) 47 cases who had both lip and palate repaired; and (3) 37 non-cleft peers as controls.


RESULTS
There was maxillary retrusion in groups (1) and (2). Surface area and height of the upper lip was reduced in both these groups when compared with the normal controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Lip repair is a most important factor in the restraint of maxillary growth in patients with complete unilateral clefts of lip, alveolus and palate. And height and projection of the upper lip are reduced following lip repair.
Li
Yang
Y
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial surgery, Sichuan University, People's Republic of China.
Shi
Bing
B
Song
Qing-Gao
QG
Zuo
Hui
H
Zheng
Qian
Q
D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002508:Cephalometry; D002648:Child; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D003768:Dental Occlusion, Centric; D005145:Face / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008046:Lip / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development*; D023861:Photography, Dental; D011859:Radiography; D012737:Sex Factors