Korean J Orthod.  1992 Sep;22(3):657-673.

A study on the facial morphology and growth changes in unilateral cleft lip and palate patients according to the ages

• Kim YM
• Park SB
• Rhee BT

Abstract

Orthodontic treatment of cleft patients is difficult as the growth is different from that of normal ones. So it is very important to know the characteristic features of the craniofacial morphology and growth pattern in unilateral cleft lip and palate patients. The materials for this study consisted of 55 normal males and 50 unilateral cleft lip and palate ones who received cheiloplasty and palatoplasty previously. The cleft subjects were divided into 4 groups according to their ages to find out the growth pattern of hard and soft tissue, and to compare the features with those of normal ones. Each cephalograrn analysed by McNamara method and others. The obtained results were as follows 1. In the unilateral cleft lip and palate subjects, forward growth of the maxilla was smaller than that of normal ones from 9 years old. So the maxilla was retruded. The maxillary incisors were severely retruded in all age groups. 2. The mandibular overall length and its anteroposterior position did not show any significant differences between two groups. But the height of ramus was very short and the mandible had vertical growth tendency to compensate for undergrowth of the maxilla in cleft subjects after 12 years of age. 3. Horizontal growth of the soft tissue in middle face was smaller than that of any other facial region from 9 years old. The vertical growth rate of upper lip was decreased as growing old. 4. In cleft subjects, the upper and lower facial component angle and the facial convexity angle were large. So their facial profile changed to straight or concave as growing old.

MeSH Terms

Child
Cleft Lip*
Humans
Incisor
Lip
Male
Mandible
Maxilla
Palate*