32 Purpose: The study was designed to evaluate whether intrinsic morphological 33 characteristics of the nasal dorsum are affected by cleft type, specifically cleft lip only 34 (CL) and cleft lip with cleft palate(CL/P).35 Methods: 576 cleft patients (278 CL only, 298 CL/P), and 333 individuals without 36 orofacial clefts were retrospectively enrolled. Lateral cephalometric radiographs of all 37 individuals were taken to evaluate the nasal length and nasal dorsum height. Dunn's 38 test was used to analyze the difference (p < 0.001).39 Results:In CL and control, the angulation of the nasal bone and nasal dorsum increase 40 by age similarly (5y-18y, p>0.05). In CL, the total dorsal length is significantly shorter 41 (5y-18y, p<0.001). Although the upper nasal dorsum is similar (except in 5y-6y), the 42 lower nasal dorsum is shorter (5y-18y, p<0.001).
43In CLP, there is no significant difference in the nasal bone angle compared with 44 controls between 5y-7y. However, it develops insufficiently as children grow (8y-18y, 45 p<0.001). The nasal dorsum angle is notably smaller (5y-18y, p<0.001). Nasal bone 46 length is not significantly different from control at all stages except during ages 11y-47 13y (p<0.05). Total nasal dorsal length is similar to the control at skeletal maturity 48 (17y-18y,p>0.05), although it is shorter during 8y to 16y (p<0.05). The upper nasal 49 dorsum is overdeveloped (14y-18y, p<0.05), whereas the lower nasal dorsum is 50 underdeveloped (5y-18y, p<0.001). 51 Conclusion:CL inhibits the growth of nasal dorsum length, leading to short nose 52 deformity. CL/P patients are prone to saddle-nose deformity because of the diminished 53 nasal height (decreased nasal angle). 54 Keywords: Cleft nose; nasal deformity; cephalometric; cleft lip and palate 55 56 57 Introduction 58 Cleft lip is frequently accompanied by nasal deformities. The congenital anatomic 59 deficiency or aberrancy, potential changes related to growth, the cleft itself, and even 60 scarring from previous procedures are the main factors which lead to a wide variability 61 in secondary cleft nasal deformities and the complexity of surgical techniques over the 62 past few years 1 . Subsequently, secondary surgery for the cleft nasal deformity 63 undeniably presents a formidable challenge to the plastic surgeon, and the results are 64 not as ideal as expected due to lack the comprehensive inward characters that hidden 65 under complex deformed manifestations. 66 Due to its central location, the nose plays a prominent role in facial aesthetics 2 . 67 How does one distinguish the different factors that contribute to the cleft nasal 68 deformity, including cleft type, intrinsic potential changes, or surgical damage? 69 Nowadays, surgeons mainly define the cleft nasal malformation with regard to the alar 70 base, columella, nostril, nasal tip, nasal floor, and nasal septum, attaching more 71 importance to the dysmorphia of the nasal tip 3,4 . However, because of the complexity 72 of this anatomic structure, it is so difficult to define the k...