Craniofacial Growth in Different Cleft Types from One Month to Ten Years

Abstract

This study is based on serial cephalometric radiographs from one month to ten years of 64 children with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP), 32 children with bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP), and 78 children with cleft palate only (CPO). Eleven dimensions and three angles were measured in the cranial base, the midface, and the man-dible. The 10—year period was divided into infancy (birth to one year), early Childhood (one to six years), and mid childhood (six to ten years). Growth differences for each measurement at each age for the three cleft pairs (UCLP/BCLP, UCLP/CPO, and BCLP/CPO) were evaluated by analysis of variance. Cranial base was not affected by cleft-type in males, although sellar angle was found to be significantly larger in BCLP females. Upper face heights in BCLP were different from UCLP and CPO in both sexes. Midfacial depths Ptm'—ANS, Ptm'—A, and anterior segment of palatal length KR—ANS were different for each cleft type. The same was true for the basifacial angle S-N-A. The mandible was relatively unaffected by cleft-types.