3D morphological changes of the lip and face in patients with cleft lip and alveolus: The comparison of the lip development of incomplete and complete cleft lips under 3 months of age

Abstract To treat cleft lip and palate, it is critical to understand the development of the lips and face. Objective The objective of this study is to comprehend the development of lips and facial features in patients with cleft lip from birth to cheiloplasty. A comparison of incomplete and complete cleft lips was performed. Methods The morphology of the lips and face was recorded using a noncontact three‐dimensional morphology recorder from shortly after birth to cheiloplasty. For each patient, their soft tissue growth was analyzed. Results These findings suggest that an incomplete cleft widens the gap between healthy and affected sides from 2 to 3 months of age. The pattern is different from that of a complete cleft.