Assessment of the Facial Soft Tissue Thickness of the Patients Affected by Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Using Cone Beam Computed Tomography.

AIM: The aim of the study was to evaluate the soft tissue thickness of the patients affected by unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) and to compare the findings with a matched control group without cleft using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT).

METHODS

The study sample consisted of 66 patients (31 women and 35 men) divided into 2 groups as UCLP group (34 patients; 23 men and 11 women; 9 right sided and 25 left sided; mean age: 14.11 ± 3.48 years) and control group (32 patients; 12 men and 20 women; mean age: 15.10 ± 3.13 years) without any cleft. Angular angle between Nasion-A line and Nasion-B line (ANB), angle between Sella-Nasion line and Gonion-Menton line (SN-MP) and linear (glabella, nasion, rhinion, subnasale, labrale superius, stomion, labrale inferius, labiomentale, pogonion, and gnathion) measurements were done using CBCT. Student t test was performed to compare the variables between the groups.

RESULTS

Soft tissue thickness values for men were higher in both groups, except for rhinion and glabella. Subnasale for women (P = 0.000), men (P = 0.006), and total samples (P = 0.000) and the variable of the labrale superius for men (P = 0.047) and total samples (P = 0.040) were found to be statistically significantly thinner in the UCLP group. SN-MP had significant affect on subnasale thickness (R = 15.8; Beta = -0.397; P = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Thickness of the subnasale and the labrale superius were found to be statistically significantly thinner in the UCLP group compared with the controls.