Analysis of dental arch relationships in Swedish unilateral cleft lip and palate subjects: 20-year longitudinal consecutive series treated with delayed hard palate closure.
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.
Lilja
Jan
J
Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Goteborg, Sweden.
Mars
Michael
M
Elander
Anna
A
Enocson
Lars
L
Hagberg
Catharina
C
Worrell
Emma
E
Batra
Puneet
P
Friede
Hans
H
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