title: Nasolabial soft tissue changes after Le Fort I advancement.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the nasolabial soft tissue changes that occur after Le Fort I advancement.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study of patients who had Le Fort I advancement at the Children's Hospital Boston from 2005 to 2007. The pre- and postoperative anthropometeric nasolabial measurements were recorded by a single examiner.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 37 patients with a mean age of 18.6 years at the time of operation and a mean follow-up of 12.6 months were recruited. Nearly one half of the study sample (16 of 37) had cleft lip/palate. Direct anthropometry showed a reduction of the nasal length by 1.3 mm while the nasal tip protrusion increased by 1.1 mm. The nasofrontal angle decreased by 9.8° and the upper lip moved forward by 4.15 mm, reflecting the advancement in the maxilla. The height of the cutaneous upper lip increased by 0.4 mm. No significant differences were found in the soft tissue response observed between the cleft and noncleft subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Le Fort I advancement produces elevation of the nasal tip, as seen by a reduction in the nasal length, an increase in the nasal tip protrusion, and a concomitant reduction in the nasofrontal angle. Additionally, the cutaneous lip height increased, most likely due to an unfurling of the upper lip.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Biology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Children's Hospital Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Sivabalan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vasudavan
authors.forename: Yasas S N
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Jayaratne
authors.forename: Bonnie L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Padwa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods*; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000150:complications; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000150:complications; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005143:Eyelids / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005624:Frontal Bone / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D007180:Incisor / Q000473:pathology; D008046:Lip / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000473:pathology; D008437:Maxilla / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D009295:Nasal Bone / Q000473:pathology; D009666:Nose / Q000473:pathology*; D009984:Orthopedic Fixation Devices; D019340:Osteotomy, Le Fort / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D057887:Overbite / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012658:Sella Turcica / Q000473:pathology; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult