title: Facial soft-tissue thickness in patients affected by bilateral cleft lip and palate: a retrospective cone-beam computed tomography study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purposes of this study were to evaluate the facial soft-tissue thicknesses and craniofacial morphologies of patients affected by bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) and to compare the findings with a well-matched control group without any clefts using cone-beam computed tomography.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study sample consisted of 40 retrospectively and randomly selected patients divided into 2 groups: a BCLP group (20 patients; mean age, 13.78 ± 3.20 years) and an age- and sex-matched control group without clefts (20 patients; mean age, 13.94 ± 2.52 years). Craniofacial and facial soft-tissue thickness measurements were made with cone-beam computed tomography. The Student t test and multiple linear regression analyses were performed for the statistical evaluations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The BCLP group had an increased SN-MP angle (P = 0.003), a decreased Co-A (P = 0.000), and retruded maxillary (P = 0.000) and mandibular (P = 0.026) incisors. In addition, patients affected by BCLP had statistically significantly decreased thickness measurements for the variables subnasale (P = 0.005) and labrale superior (P = 0.026) compared with the controls. The most predictive variables were found at U1-SN (r = 0.417, P = 0.004), IMPA (r = 0.368, P = 0.010), and ANB (r = -0.297, P = 0.031) for subnasale and U1-SN (r = 0.284, P = 0.038) for labrale superior.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The BCLP group showed greater vertical growth, greater retrusion of the maxilla and the maxillary and mandibular incisors, and decreased subnasale and labrale superior thicknesses compared with the well-matched controls without clefts. These differences should be taken into account when planning orthodontic and orthognathic surgery treatment for those patients.
authors.affiliation: Associate professor, Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey. Electronic address: mevlutcelikoglu@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Mevlut
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Celikoglu
authors.affiliation: Research assistant, Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Suleyman K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Buyuk
authors.affiliation: Assistant professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ahmet E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Sekerci
authors.affiliation: Assistant professor, Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Inonu University, Malatya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ersoz
authors.affiliation: Assistant professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Salih
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Celik
authors.affiliation: Associate professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yildiray
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sisman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D005145:Face / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008046:Lip / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008335:Mandibular Condyle / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008437:Maxilla / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008445:Maxillofacial Development / Q000502:physiology; D009295:Nasal Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012658:Sella Turcica / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012886:Skull / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014716:Vertical Dimension; D055815:Young Adult