Defining the Aesthetic Range of Normal Symmetry for Lip and Nose Features in 5-Year-Old Children Using the Computer-Based Program SymNose.

OBJECTIVE

To provide a normal comparison group against which to judge symmetry results after cleft surgery and to introduce the thin lip correction (TLC) feature in SymNose. A lip-aspect ratio algorithm has been added to the latest version of SymNose to compensate for the higher degree of overlap in thicker lips when compared to thin lips.

DESIGN

Retrospective analysis of symmetry in healthy participants, using the computer-based program SymNose on both anteroposterior (AP) and base view images. Photographs of 91 noncleft children were traced twice by 3 independent investigators experienced with SymNose.

PARTICIPANTS

Five-year-old healthy participants from a local state school in Tavistock (West Devon, United Kingdom).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Asymmetry expressed as the perimeter mismatch percentage for nose and lip features on AP view images and for nose features on base view images.

RESULTS

The perimeter mismatch reference range for the nose (AP view) was 2.65% to 30.91%, for the lip 2.13% to 15.44%, for the nose (base view) 1.69% to 14.84%, for the nostrils 4.68% to 26.6%, and for the width-height ratio 1.15% to 1.80%. The perimeter mismatch percentage for the lip without TLC was significantly higher compared to the perimeter mismatch percentage with TLC ( < .001).

CONCLUSION

This article provides a noncleft reference range for all perimeters drawn from SymNose against which to compare results after cleft surgery at 5 years of age. Furthermore, it shows the importance of correcting for variance in lip volume per child.