Three-dimensional nasal changes following maxillary advancement in cleft patients

Three-dimensional laser surface scanning of the face was performed before and after Le Fort I maxillary advancement in 24 patients with repaired clefts of the lip and palate. The surgery resulted in advancement of the upper lip and para-alar tissues and an increase in the relative prominence of the nose within the face. These changes were produced at the expense of an increase in nasal width and a reduction in nasal tip protrusion. The changes in nasal morphology showed significant variation among patients.