The effect of natural growth on chin point deviation in patients with unilateral craniofacial microsomia: A retrospective study

This study aimed to investigate the potential progressiveness of mandibular asymmetry and to study factors that influence chin point deviation in patients with unilateral craniofacial microsomia (CFM). Paediatric patients with unilateral CFM with available radiologic imaging and medical photographs were included. Chin point deviation was measured on clinical photographs. A Jonckheere-Terpstra test and linear mixed model for repeated measurements assessed the relation of chin point deviation on natural growth, Pruzansky−Kaban score, and soft tissue score. A total of 110 patients were included. The linear mixed model showed no statistically significant changes of chin point deviation during growth (effect estimate −0.006°, 95% CI –0.04° to −0.03°, p = 0.74). A statistical significant relation between both the Pruzansky-Kaban and soft tissue score on chin point deviation was found (effect estimate −5.10°, 95% CI –6.45° to −3.75°, p ≤ 0.001 and effect estimate −3.42°, CI –5.86° to −0.98°, p ≤ 0.001, respectively). Within the limitations of the study it seems that craniofacial microsomia may be a non-progressive disorder, because chin point deviation did not change over time.