title: Correlation of vermilion symmetry to alveolar cleft defect in unilateral cleft lip repair.
abstract: Asymmetry is a major problem in repaired unilateral cleft lip (UCL). One of the important manifestations of this is the asymmetry of the vermilion. The aim of this study was to correlate the severity of the asymmetry in the vermilion to the size of the alveolar defect. Twenty patients aged between 6 and 18 months with complete unilateral cleft lip, alveolus, and palate were included. An impression of each patient's alveolus at the time of cheiloplasty was taken using silicon rubber base material, and a study cast was prepared. The width of the cleft alveolus was measured on these casts using a transparent grid. Frontal photographs were taken at 6 months postoperative and vermilion symmetry was measured as the ratio between the cleft and non-cleft sides. The results obtained in this study showed a direct correlation between the size of the alveolar defect and the vermilion symmetry in repaired UCL. The wider the cleft alveolus and greater the antero-posterior discrepancy, the greater is the vermilion asymmetry. The asymmetry of the vermilion in UCL after repair is directly dependent on the size of the alveolar defect. The alveolar discrepancy causes 'in-rolling' of the vermilion on the cleft side and affects the vermilion symmetry.
authors.affiliation: Bangalore Institute of Dental Sciences, Bangalore, India.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bonanthaya
authors.affiliation: Bhagwan Mahaveer Jain Hospital, Bangalore, India. Electronic address: drdipesh.rao@gmail.com.
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.affiliation: Bangalore Institute of Dental Sciences, Bangalore, India.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shetty
authors.affiliation: University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Uguru
mesh_terms: D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D004954:Esthetics; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008046:Lip / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D010781:Photography; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Cleft lip repair; Vermilion symmetry