title: Craniofacial morphology in patients with velocardiofacial syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare cephalometric measurements of patients with and without velocardiofacial syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional.
  
  
  METHODS
  Public tertiary craniofacial center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Lateral cephalograms of 18 patients with velocardiofacial syndrome and 18 controls without morphofunctional alterations, matched for gender and age; all cephalograms were obtained before orthodontic intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  The cephalograms were manually traced and digitized for the achievement of linear and angular measurements.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Individuals with velocardiofacial syndrome presented a reduced length of the skull base, retrusion of nasal bones, reduced posterior height of the maxilla, increased gonial angle, increased interincisal angle, greater lingual inclination of the mandibular incisors, reduced nasolabial angle, and reduced nasal depth compared with the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with velocardiofacial syndrome presented morphological differences compared with individuals without morphofunctional alterations, which might be considered in the evaluation of patients with suspected diagnosis of the syndrome, as well as for the establishment of treatment protocols adequate to their needs. The present findings did not support the hypothesis of differences in pharyngeal dimensions mentioned by other authors, suggesting that the velopharyngeal insufficiency in these patients may be caused by functional alterations rather than by anatomical differences.
authors.affiliation: HRAC/USP-Setor de Odontopediatria e Saúde Coletiva, Rua Silvio Marchione, 3-20, Vila Universitária, CEP 17012-900, Bauru, SP, Brazil. gsdalben@usp.br
authors.forename: Gisele da Silva
authors.initials: Gda S
authors.lastname: Dalben
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Richieri-Costa
authors.forename: Luís Antônio de Assis
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Taveira
mesh_terms: D002508:Cephalometry; D019465:Craniofacial Abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004062:DiGeorge Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008445:Maxillofacial Development; D011859:Radiography