Cephalometric nasal and soft tissue profile in cleft palate only: a comparative study
Alicja Zawiślak1,2, Agnieszka Jankowska3, Tomasz Jankowski3
1Department of Interdisciplinary Dentistry, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Szczecin, Poland. alicja.zawislak@wp.pl.
Background:
Cleft palate only (CPO) is a common craniofacial anomaly. Although skeletal discrepancies in patients with CPO are well documented, quantitative analyses of nasal and soft tissue profiles in CPO remain limited. Nasal morphology is related to maxillary position, which is important in diagnosis, treatment planning, and facial aesthetics. This study aimed to assess differences in nasal and soft tissue cephalometric morphology in young adults with CPO compared with controls.
Materials And Methods:
This cross-sectional study included 118 participants aged 16-25 years: 59 patients with CPO and 59 controls. Angular and linear variables of the nasal and soft tissue profile were measured on lateral cephalometric radiographs, including nose-lip angle, dorsum axis (N'-St), nose length (N'-Pr), nasal depth, nasal bone length, nasal bone angle, nasomaxillary angle (NMA), and soft tissue facial convexity (SFC). Descriptive statistics were calculated, and group comparisons were performed using Welch's t-test or the Wilcoxon rank-sum test.
Results:
Patients with CPO demonstrated a smaller nose-lip angle, shorter dorsum axis, and reduced nose length compared with controls (p ≤ 0.003). Nasal depth and nasal bone length were significantly smaller (p < 0.001). In contrast, the nasal bone angle and nasomaxillary angle were larger in the CPO group (p < 0.001). Soft tissue facial convexity was reduced, indicating a flatter midface.
Conclusions:
Young adults with CPO exhibit reduced nasal projection and length, altered nasal bone morphology, and decreased facial convexity associated with maxillary deficiency, highlighting the importance of nasal profile assessment in this underrepresented group and its relevance for individualized treatment.
