Three-dimensional analysis of the child cleft face

Objective: This study examined the facial surfaces of cleft children and un affected children aged 8-11 years with the aim of identifying and assessing differences in their facial surface morphology. The investigation was carr ied out using an Optical Surface Scanner, an instrument that utilizes laser light to construct and archive a three-dimensional image of the face suita ble for linear measurement and direct surface comparisons. Design, Setting, and Patients: Thirty-nine cleft lip and palate (CLP) patie nts and 25 unaffected subjects were voluntarily recruited from two southeas t England hospitals. A range of linear facial measurements was compared. Th ree-dimensional differences between the cleft subgroups and the control gro up were visualized by superimposition of averaged cleft scans over the aver aged control group images. Results: Statistically significant dimensional differences (p less than or equal to .05) in interocular width, nose base widths, mouth widths, and nos e base/mouth width ratios were found between the cleft group and the contro l group. Qualitative differences over the whole of the face were readily de monstrated between the groups by superimposition. Face width and submandibu lar area depth differed consistently between the groups, the cleft face app earing narrower with a deeper submandibular area. Conclusion: Significant differences exist between the facial surface morpho logy of CLP patients and control subjects.