title: Facial soft-tissue asymmetry in three-dimensional cone-beam computed tomography images of children with surgically corrected unilateral clefts.
abstract: Cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/P) is a relatively common craniofacial malformation involving bony and soft-tissue disruptions of the nasolabial and dentoalveolar regions. The combination of CL/P and subsequent craniofacial surgeries to close the cleft and improve appearance of the cutaneous upper lip and nose can cause scarring and muscle pull, possibly resulting in soft-tissue depth asymmetries across the face. We tested the hypothesis that tissue depths in children with unilateral CL/P exhibit differences in symmetry across the sides of the face. Twenty-eight tissue depths were measured on cone-beam computed tomography images of children with unilateral CL/P (n = 55), aged 7 to 17 years, using Dolphin software (version 11.5). Significant differences in tissue depth symmetry were found around the cutaneous upper lip and nose in patients with unilateral CL/P.
authors: From the Department of Orthodontics and Oral Facial Genetics, School of Dentistry, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana.
authors: John Marlow
authors: JM
authors: Starbuck
authors: Ahmed
authors: A
authors: Ghoneima
authors: Katherine
authors: K
authors: Kula
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; D005146:Facial Asymmetry / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male