title: Cephalometric evaluation of long-term craniofacial development in unilateral cleft lip and palate patients treated with delayed hard palate closure.
abstract: This long-term cephalometric study aimed to evaluate the craniofacial development of patients with a complete unilateral cleft lip and palate treated with a two-stage palatal closure, including delayed closure of the hard palate. Prediction models for cephalometric outcome at age 18 years were developed with the help of cephalometric values at 9 and 12 years. The objective need for surgery at age 18 was predicted from cephalometric values at age 9. Cephalograms of 43 consecutive patients with a complete unilateral cleft lip and palate were analysed at 9, 12 and 18 years. The patient group showed a retrusive craniofacial growth pattern for the maxilla and mandible, and a rather vertical growth pattern for the lower face. Using multiple linear regression, for most cephalometric variables, 40-80% of the cephalometric values at early adulthood could be explained by cephalometric values at the ages of 9 and 12 years, and gender, or by the values at age 9 only and gender. Several cephalometric variables at age 9 (s-n-ss, s-n-pg, sss-ns-sms, sss-ns-pgs) were found to be significant predictors for the need for surgery at 18. The need for surgery at age 18 was correctly predicted from age 9 for 85% of the investigated patient group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics and Oral Biology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: P J P M
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Nollet
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Katsaros
authors.forename: R W F
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Huyskens
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Borstlap
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Bronkhorst
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kuijpers-Jagtman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology; D008437:Maxilla / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology; D008445:Maxillofacial Development / Q000502:physiology*; D021362:Palate, Hard / Q000254:growth & development / Q000601:surgery*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012086:Reoperation; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014716:Vertical Dimension