[Characteristic craniofacial features in a group of unilateral cleft lip and palate patients in Chile].
BACKGROUND
Craniofacial growth in cleft lip and palate patients is controversial. Structural alterations of the face in these patients could be due to the surgical treatment combined with the primary variations of the cranial base morphology. Our objective was to ana-lyze the morphology of the craniofacial skeleton in a group of unilateral cleft lip and palate Chilean patients.


METHODS
We studied 43 non syndromic operated unilateral complete cleft lip and palate patients. Ages ranged from 10 to 18 years for both genders. This cohort was compared with a control group of 40 non cleft patients, matched for age and sex, using Delaire's structural and architectural craniofacial analysis on lateral radiographs and performed by the same operator.


RESULTS
Cleft patients presented with significantly different configurations of the craniofacial skeleton, specifically a flatter basi-cranium, a reduced posterior maxillary height, a retrusive maxilla deficient in length with an associated crossbite.
Cortés
J
J
Faculté d'Ontologie de l'Université du Chili, Las Condes, Santiago de Chile, Chili. jcortes@uchile.cl
Granic
X
X
D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002677:Chile; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005624:Frontal Bone / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000473:pathology; D008437:Maxilla / Q000473:pathology; D009295:Nasal Bone / Q000473:pathology; D012399:Rotation; D019291:Skull Base / Q000473:pathology; D013100:Sphenoid Bone / Q000473:pathology; D014716:Vertical Dimension