Hard palate repair timing and facial growth in unilateral cleft lip and palate: a longitudinal study.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether timing of hard palate repair had a significant effect on facial growth in patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP).


METHODS
Retrospective longitudinal study.


METHODS
Sri Lankan Cleft Lip and Palate Project.


METHODS
A total of 104 patients with nonsyndromic UCLP who had hard palate repair by age 13 years, with their 290 cephalometric radiographs taken after lip and palate repair.


METHODS
Clinical notes were used to record surgical treatment histories. Cephalometry was used to determine facial morphology and growth rate.


RESULTS
Timing of hard palate repair had a significant effect on the length and protrusion of the alveolar maxilla (PMP-A and SNA, respectively) and the anteroposterior alveolar jaw relation (ANB) at age 20 years but not on their growth rates.


CONCLUSIONS
Timing of hard palate repair significantly affects the growth of the maxilla in patients with UCLP. Late hard palate repair has a smaller adverse effect than does early hard palate repair on the growth of the maxilla. This timing effect primarily affects the anteroposterior development of the maxillary dentoalveolus and is attributed to the development being undisturbed before closure of the hard palate.
Liao
Yu-Fang
YF
Department of Dentistry, Craniofacial Center, and Sleep Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. yfliao0125@yahoo.co.uk
Cole
Timothy J
TJ
Mars
Michael
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002508:Cephalometry; D002648:Child; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000601:surgery*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000254:growth & development; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development*; D015588:Observer Variation; D021362:Palate, Hard / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D011627:Puberty; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors