Cephalometric soft tissue profile in unilateral cleft lip and palate patients

Soft tissue profile analysis from cephalometric radiographs is recognized as an important part of the assessment of treatment outcome in cleft lip and palate (CLP), and has previously been found to discriminate between groups better than conventional hard tissue cephalometric analysis. Cephalometric radiographs of 182 12-14-year-old children from the UK with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) were available for this investigation, which aimed to describe the cephalometric soft tissue findings for this group of UK children. Seven soft tissue profile angular variables were measured using Dentofacial Planner Plus (DFP). Thirty films were re-measured two weeks later to assess the reliability of the method, which was acceptable for most of the variables, although use of landmarks related to the lips increased error. Mean nasolabial angle (97.44 degrees), facial convexity (138.02 degrees), and soft tissue ANB (2.99 degrees) compared unfavourably with previously reported data. These findings support the data given in the Clinical Standards Advisory Group study. Soft tissue profile assessment from cephalometric radiographs has acceptable reliability. The results of treatment show poor outcome in the UK compared with published data.