title: Analysis of dental arch relationships in Swedish unilateral cleft lip and palate subjects: 20-year longitudinal consecutive series treated with delayed hard palate closure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the dental arch relationships for a consecutive series from Goteborg, Sweden, who had delayed hard palate closure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Goteborg, Sweden.
  
  
  METHODS
  The dental study models of 104 consecutive unilateral cleft lip and palate subjects. The study cohort was born between 1979 and 1994. Longitudinal records were available at ages 5 (n = 94), 10 (n = 97), 16 (n = 59), and 19 years (n = 46). Five assessors rated models according to the GOSLON Yardstick on two separate occasions each.
  
  
  METHODS
  These patients had been operated upon according to the Goteborg protocol of delayed hard palate closure (at age 8 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  85% of subjects were rated in groups 1 and 2 (excellent or very good outcome), 12% were rated in group 3 (satisfactory), and 3% were assigned to group 4 (poor). No patients presented in Group 5 (very poor). Weighted kappa statistics for double determination of Yardstick allocation for five assessors demonstrated values between .65 and .90 for interrater agreement (good/very good) and between .70 and .90 for intrarater agreement (very good).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Delayed hard palate closure as practiced in Goteborg since 1979 has produced the best GOSLON Yardstick ratings in a consecutive series of patients ever recorded worldwide, since the Yardstick was first used in 1983. However, it is noteworthy that a new protocol has been introduced in Goteborg since 1994, in which hard palate closure is done at 3 years due to concerns regarding speech.
authors.affiliation: Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Goteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lilja
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mars
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elander
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Enocson
authors.forename: Catharina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hagberg
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Worrell
authors.forename: Puneet
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Batra
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Friede
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D003766:Dental Occlusion; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D006801:Humans; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D003765:Models, Dental; D021362:Palate, Hard / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome