Relationship between primary palatal form and maxillofacial growth in Japanese children with unilateral cleft lip and palate: infancy to adolescence.

Abstract

The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the relationship between the severity of maxillary defects and maxillofacial growth from infancy to adolescence in children with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP). Thirty-one Japanese children with UCLP who had received cheiloplasty, palatoplasty, and orthodontic treatments at the Kyushu University Dental Hospital were selected. A three-dimensional laser scanner was used to measure maxillary dental casts taken at cheiloplasty. Surface areas and volumes of the palatal tissue were calculated. Lateral cephalographs that were taken both at cheiloplasty and 15 years of age or over (average age 16.5 years) were traced and digitized. Angular and linear measurements were calculated from the x, y-coordinates. Using correlation analyses, defects in the palatal tissue were compared with maxillofacial morphology both at cheiloplasty and in adolescence or maxillofacial growth during that time span. (1) The surface areas or volumes of the palatal tissue were significantly correlated with the following maxillofacial measurements at infancy and adolescence: Or-depth; A-depth; PNS-height; ANS-height; N-Ba; S-N; S-Ba; N to P.P.; A'-Ptm'; Cd-Pog; Cd-Gn; Cd-G; and the N-S-Ba, S-N-A, and A-N-B angles. (2) They were also significantly correlated with the following maxillofacial growth measures from infancy to adolescence: A-depth, S-Ba, and the N-S-Ba and S-N-A angles. Only the N-S-Ba angle showed a negative correlation. The patient who had more palatal tissue at cheiloplasty showed better maxillofacial growth.