Early craniofacial morphology and growth in children with unoperated isolated cleft palate.
OBJECTIVE
Analysis of craniofacial morphology and growth in children with untreated isolated cleft palate (ICP) (cleft of the secondary palate only) at 2 and 22 months of age and comparison of the morphology and growth to that of a control group with unilateral incomplete cleft lip (UICL).


METHODS
A total of 98 cleft children (53 with ICP and 45 with UICL) drawn from a larger group representing all Danish children with cleft born in the period 1976 to 1981 were included in the study. Craniofacial morphology and growth were analyzed using three-projection infant cephalometry.


RESULTS
The ICP group differed significantly from the UICL group. The most striking findings in the ICP group were: short maxilla; reduced posterior maxillary height; increased posterior maxillary width (in the 2-month-old); short mandible; reduced posterior height of the mandible; bimaxillary retrognathia; and reduced pharyngeal depth, height, and area. The facial growth pattern was fairly similar in the two groups except for a somewhat more vertical growth direction in the ICP group.


CONCLUSIONS
The facial morphology in ICP children differs significantly from that of children with UICL of the same age. The differences in facial morphology can be ascribed to the difference in the primary anomaly in the ICP group. The facial growth pattern was fairly similar in the ICP and UICL group; however, a somewhat more vertical growth direction was observed in the ICP group.
Hermann
N V
NV
Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark. nh@lab3d.odont.ku.dk
Kreiborg
S
S
Darvann
T A
TA
Jensen
B L
BL
Dahl
E
E
Bolund
S
S
D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002508:Cephalometry; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003724:Dental Arch / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology; D005145:Face; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007223:Infant; D008046:Lip / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology; D008437:Maxilla / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology; D008445:Maxillofacial Development / Q000502:physiology; D009666:Nose / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology; D009915:Orbit / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology; D010614:Pharynx / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology; D063173:Retrognathia / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012886:Skull / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology*; D019291:Skull Base / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014716:Vertical Dimension