The incidence of oral clefts: a review.
We have reviewed epidemiological studies on the incidence of oral clefts in several regions of the world, but mainly in Europe. The incidence ranges from 1.0/1000 to 2.21/1000. The highest incidence was in Czechoslovakia (1.81/1000), followed by France (1.75/1000), Finland (1.74/1000), Denmark (1.69/1000), Belgium and the Netherlands (1.47/1000), Italy (1.33/1000), California (1.12/1000) and South America (1.0/1000). The data from Denmark and Finland appeared to be the most reliable. All studies showed a higher incidence of cleft lip and/or palate (CL(P)) compared with cleft palate (CP). There was a predominance of girls in the CP group, while the CL(P) group comprised mainly boys. The left side was affected twice as often as the right side. Black children had a lower incidence than white children. An attempt was made in several reports to clarify the cause of oral clefts, but opinions are contradictory.
Derijcke
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Department of Orthodontics, University of Leuven School of Dentistry, Belgium.
Eerens
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Carels
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D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D044383:Black People; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018153:Czech Republic / Q000453:epidemiology; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012737:Sex Factors; D018154:Slovakia / Q000453:epidemiology; D013020:South America / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People; D001741:Black or African American