Upper lip length after V-Y versus continuous closure for Le Fort I level maxillary osteotomy

Purpose: The purpose of this report is to document changes in lip length and thickness after Le Fort I maxillary osteotomy by using continuous versus V-Y closure. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of 18 patients who underwent Le Fort I maxillary osteotomy. Ten patients had a single midline V-Y closure and 8 patients had simple continuous closure. Lateral cephalometric analysis was performed, and preoperative and 12-month postoperative changes in lip dimensions were calculated. Lip length and thickness were analyzed at 5 points: A-point (A), subnasale (Sn), cervical margin of incisor (C), stomion superius (Ss) and labrale superius (Ls). The lengths from A to Sn, C to Ls, and Sn to Ss were calculated. Results: After 12 months, there was no significant difference in lip length (P =.39) or thickness of the upper lip in its upper (P =.75) or lower (P =.19) parts, between the 2 groups. Conclusion: Lip length and width show no significant differences before surgery versus after surgery with either closure technique after Le Fort I osteotomy. (Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 2000;90:144-6)