Comparison of nasal symmetry in children with unilateral oral clefts treated with/without nasoalveolar molding - a retrospective study with a mean age of 5 years

To three-dimensionally compare nasal symmetry in children with unilateral complete cleft lip and palate (UCLP) treated with or without presurgical nasoalveolar molding (PNAM) with a mean age of 5 years. Forty children with UCLP were included and were divided into PNAM and non-PNAM group (20 subjects per group). 3dMD data were collected and imported into Dolphin 11.95 software for measurement and analysis. Following this, 30 anatomical landmarks were identified on the reconstructed three-dimensional (3D) facial image and data on the 3D coordinates were collected. The differences between the coordinates of the affected and non-affected sides were then calculated. Statistically, the Mann-Whitney U test was conducted to compare the differences between the two groups. In terms of the degree of midface deviation, the nasal base was less deviated in the PNAM group than in the non-PNAM group ( P < 0.05). In terms of nasal symmetry, the upper outer part of the nose, upper part of the nostril and the lower inner edge of the nostril were more symmetrical in the PNAM group than in the non-PNAM group vertically ( P < 0.05). The improvement effect of PNAM on postoperative nasal alar and nostril shaping in patients with UCLP can be maintained stably at least until pre-school age, especially in the vertical direction. The findings of this study demonstrate that PNAM treatment results in improved vertical aesthetics of the nasal region in patients with UCLP up to pre-school age. These results suggest that PNAM may be a viable therapeutic intervention for enhancing the symmetry of nasal soft tissues.