Evaluation of Orbital Asymmetry in Patients with Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Using Cone Beam Computed Tomography

Abstract

Aim

The aim of this study was to evaluate and quantify orbital asymmetry in unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) patients using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), comparing the cleft and non-cleft sides.

Materials and Methods

This study retrospectively analyzed CBCT scans from 30 patients with UCLP (aged 12-30 years) and 30 non-cleft controls. The scans were acquired using standardized CBCT protocols with isotropic voxel resolution (0.3 mm). Key orbital dimensions, including height, width, and depth were measured bilaterally. Positional parameters, such as the distance from the infraorbital canal to the sella turcica and the cranio-lateral orientation of the orbit, were also evaluated. Data were analyzed with SPSS v25.

Results

Positional analysis revealed a significant infer-posterior displacement of the cleft side orbit compared to the non-cleft side (P < .05). Although height, width, and depth were largely symmetrical between sides, when compared to controls, both sides in patients with UCLP demonstrated significantly lower dimensions, indicating a bilateral effect. The intraclass correlation coefficient scores (>0.90) confirmed the reliability of measurements.

Conclusion

Although the variations in height, width, and depth were negligible when comparing the cleft and non-cleft sides, considerable differences were identified in contrast to the control groups, underscoring the bilateral effect of UCLP.