Finite element method analysis of craniofacial morphology in unilateral cleft lip and palate prior to palatoplasty.

The craniofacial morphology in unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) prior to palatoplasty was analyzed with the finite element method (FEM). The study examined cross-sectional data sets of affected and control males aged 4.5 to 6.0 years from Czechoslovakia. The facial skeleton and cranial base were discretized into 26 two-dimensional, triangular finite elements. Cranial base morphology is altered in UCLP. The extensive nature of most craniofacial deformities means that almost any registration is likely to be distorted. The fundamental advantage of the FEM is that biological descriptions are not dependent upon the selected reference plane. The FEM localizes changes in form to discrete anatomical regions. Significant shape and size differences characterize UCLP prior to palatoplasty. Dramatic deformations associated with cheiloplasty are localized to the lips and maxillary alveolar process. Nasal deformation reflects loss of structural support for the nose.