Vertical and sagittal growth in patients with unilateral and bilateral cleft lip and palate-a retrospective cephalometric evaluation.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether the craniofacial vertical and sagittal jaw relationship in patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP) differed from that of age-matched noncleft controls, before and after the pubertal growth spurt.


METHODS
Retrospective observational study.


METHODS
The study group comprised 126 patients with CLP, subdivided according to gender and cleft type, and the control group comprised 53 age-matched skeletal class I patients.


METHODS
Angular and linear measurements were taken from prepubertal and postpubertal lateral cephalograms of all patients.


RESULTS
In patients with cleft lip and palate, the maxillary retrognathism became more remarkable with increasing age; whereas, the retrognathic position of the mandible became less pronounced as compared with controls. Reduced posterior midfacial height, a common prepubertal finding in patients with cleft lip and palate, was significant in postpubertal girls and young women with unilateral cleft lip and palate (p = .002). The total anterior facial height in male patients with bilateral cleft lip and palate was larger than in control patients (p = .002) after the pubertal growth spurt due to an increased anterior midfacial height. In male patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate, this finding was due to an increased anterior lower facial height (p < .001).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with cleft lip and palate treated according to a standardized treatment concept had adequate craniofacial jaw relationships after puberty. Despite a measured skeletal class I in both male and female patients with cleft lip and palate regardless of cleft type, there was a slight tendency toward a skeletal class III. Findings were similar for all groups of cleft lip and palate patients irrespective of the type of orthodontic treatment performed.
Holst
Alexandra I
AI
University Clinic Erlangen, Dental Clinic, Department of Orthodontics, Germany. alexandra.holst@uk-erlangen.de
Holst
Stefan
S
Nkenke
Emeka
E
Fenner
Matthias
M
Hirschfelder
Ursula
U
D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002508:Cephalometry; D002648:Child; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008311:Malocclusion, Angle Class I / Q000473:pathology; D008313:Malocclusion, Angle Class III / Q000473:pathology; D008334:Mandible / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000254:growth & development; D008437:Maxilla / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000254:growth & development; D008445:Maxillofacial Development / Q000502:physiology*; D011627:Puberty / Q000502:physiology*; D063173:Retrognathia / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012658:Sella Turcica / Q000473:pathology; D012737:Sex Factors; D014716:Vertical Dimension