Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 28, 2026

Midface Hypoplasia and Cranial Base Morphology in Syndromic Craniosynostosis: A Comparative Analysis Study Using a Predictive Regression Model
Published on: November 4, 2025
Asymmetry of the parental craniofacial skeleton in orofacial clefting
1University of Dundee Dental School, UK. granttmcintyre@hotmail.com
Objective:
To evaluate size-related and shape-related craniofacial skeletal asymmetries in the parents of children with orofacial clefting (OFC).
Design:
Retrospective PA cephalometric study.
Setting:
Glasgow/Dundee, Scotland.
Subjects:
Ninety-two parental volunteers from a completely ascertained sample of 286 children born with OFC between 1980-1984 in the West of Scotland.
Interventions:
None.
Main Outcome Measures:
A conventional cephalometric asymmetry analysis (CCAA) evaluated size-related right:left asymmetry comprising eight linear distance, nine angular, and three mid-facial area measurements. The right and left landmark configurations were uniformly scaled using Procrustes superimposition and Euclidean Distance Matrix Analysis (EDMA) evaluated shape-related right-left asymmetry.
Results:
The three linear distances, nine angles and two areas differed between the right and left sides of the craniofacial complex (P <0.05) indicate size asymmetry characterized by a wider left side of the face and a shorter vertical dimension on the right side (directional asymmetry). EDMA detected shape asymmetry [T statistic = 2.671 (P = 0.10)]. Forty per cent of the EDMA ratios were clinically importantly larger or smaller on the left and right sides respectively, involving landmarks anatomically and morphogenetically important in OFC.
Conclusion:
Size and shape directional asymmetries characterize the parental craniofacial skeleton in OFC. This heritable directional craniofacial skeletal asymmetry could be of relevance in the left-sided predilection of OFC.
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