The Smile Index: Part 1. A Large-Scale Study of Phenotypic Norms for Preoperative and Postoperative Unilateral Cleft Lip.

Background: Unilateral cleft lip has a spectrum of disease morphology, but severity classifications are difficult given the absence of accessible, objective assessment tools or reference data. The authors characterize the spectrum of cleft morphology before and after surgical repair for a large, multi-ethnic population using easily identifiable facial landmarks collected through a novel smart phone-based application.

Methods: Anthropometric measurements and standardized photographs were prospectively collected in Morocco, Bolivia, Vietnam, and Madagascar during medical missions in 2015 using an application designed specifically for the study.