Associations Between Severity of Clefting and Maxillary Growth in Patients With Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Treated With Infant Orthopedics

Abstract

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine possible associations between severity of clefting in infants and maxillary growth in children with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate. Design: This was a retrospective study of measurements made on infant maxillary study casts and maxillary cephalometric variables obtained at 5 to 6 years of follow-up. Setting: The study was performed at the Institute of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery of New York University Medical Center, New York, New York. Patients: Twenty-four consecutive nonsyndromic unilateral complete cleft lip and palate patients treated during the years 1987 to 1994. Interventions: All the patients received uniform treatment (i.e., presurgical orthopedics followed by gingivoperiosteoplasty to close the alveolar cleft combined with repair of the lip and nose in a single stage at the age of 3 to 4 months). Closure of the palate was performed at the age of 12 to 14 months. Results: Infant maxillary study cast measurements correlated...