title: The morphological features and developmental changes of the philtral dimple: a guide to surgical intervention in cases of cleft lip.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was undertaken to analyse in detail the morphological features of the philtral dimple and the developmental changes of philtral morphology, including a comparison with patients with a cleft lip.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-five normal Japanese adults, seventy-five children and fifteen patients with complete unilateral cleft lip were referred for analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  3D facial data were acquired with a non-contacting laser scanner. We calculated the desired linear and angular components, defining the features of the philtrum with analysing software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The philtral dimple was morphologically expressed by the two different deepest points in the horizontal and sagittal sectional view, respectively. These decreased with age and did not show any correlation. In contrast, philtral measurements on the X-Y coordinates increased during the course of development. Most of the linear and angular variables in the patients with the cleft lip had exhibited greater values than the normal subjects, reflecting the deformed philtral morphology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To obtain an optimally natural philtral construction accompanied by a symmetrical lip in cleft surgery, it is critical to take into consideration both the geometric features of the philtral depth and age-appropriate morphological features of the philtrum as objective criteria.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, 1-8 Yamadaoka, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kishi
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iida
authors.forename: Mikihiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kogo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D059925:Anatomic Landmarks / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D007223:Infant; D007834:Lasers; D008046:Lip / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000254:growth & development; D008297:Male; D055171:Nasal Cartilages / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult