title: Initial cleft severity and maxillary growth in patients with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Initial cleft severity in patients with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) varies. This is reflected in the sizes of the cleft and the palate. The purpose of this retrospective study was to establish whether there is a relationship between cleft severity at birth and growth of the maxilla.
  
  
  METHODS
  Maxillary dental casts of 29 infants with nonsyndromic complete UCLP were used to measure the sizes of the cleft and the palate. The later growth of the maxilla was determined by using cephalometric radiographs taken at age 9. Statistical analyses were performed with multiple linear regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed a relationship between cleft area and maxillary protrusion (SNA, P <0.05). Also, there was a relationship between palate area and maxillary width (P <0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that in patients with complete UCLP there is a significant relationship between initial cleft severity and maxillary growth. Patients with a small cleft area have a more protruded maxilla than do those with a large cleft area. Patients with a large palate area have a wider maxilla than those with a small palate area.
authors.affiliation: Division of Craniofacial Orthodontics, Department of Dentistry and Craniofacial Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Ting
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Yu-Fang
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Philip Kuo-Ting
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D002508:Cephalometry; D002648:Child; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000473:pathology; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla / Q000254:growth & development*; D003765:Models, Dental; D021362:Palate, Hard / Q000254:growth & development*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index