Dynamic Analysis of the Effects of Upper Lip Pressure on the Asymmetry of the Facial Skeleton in Patients with Unilateral Complete Cleft Lip and Palate

Abstract

In unilateral complete lip-alveolar-palatal clefts patients, the upper-lip pressure works to dislocate the cleft-side segment to a more posterior position than the noncleft-side segment. This finding implies that the increased lip pressure exacerbates facial asymmetry of these patients. The exacerbating effect on facial asymmetry is alleviated by alveolar bone grafting.