Cranial base and facial skeleton asymmetries in individuals with unilateral cleft lip and palate.
OBJECTIVE
Individuals with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) manifest a plethora of phenotypic characteristics, including asymmetric development of the middle and lower facial skeleton. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively investigate the development of cranial base asymmetries in patients with UCLP noted on posteroanterior cephalometric radiographs.


METHODS
Thirty individuals with UCLP and 64 controls participated in this study. Medial and lateral cranial base asymmetries were analyzed on frontal cephalometric radiographs relative to three developmental stages. Furthermore, the development of horizontal and vertical lower facial asymmetry in these patients with UCLP was assessed in relation to cranial base, nasomaxillary, and dentoalveolar structures.


RESULTS
Individuals with UCLP demonstrated cranial base asymmetries that did not significantly differ from individuals without cleft. In addition, lower facial asymmetry in patients with UCLP correlated with horizontal lower facial and dentoalveolar asymmetries but not with cranial base or nasomaxillary structures.


CONCLUSIONS
No significant vertical cranial base asymmetries were detected in patients with UCLP. Horizontal lower facial asymmetry appeared to develop in close relation to the vertical asymmetries of mandibular fossae and dentoalveolus.
Kyrkanides
S
S
Division of Orthodontics, University of Rochester Eastman Dental Center, New York, USA. Stephanos-Kyrkanides@urmc.rochester.edu
Klambani
M
M
Subtelny
J D
JD
D000293:Adolescent; D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000473:pathology; D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D002508:Cephalometry; D002648:Child; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000473:pathology*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000473:pathology*; D005146:Facial Asymmetry / Q000473:pathology*; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000473:pathology; D008437:Maxilla / Q000473:pathology; D008445:Maxillofacial Development; D009666:Nose / Q000473:pathology; D010641:Phenotype; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019291:Skull Base / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology*; D014070:Tooth / Q000473:pathology; D014716:Vertical Dimension