Impact of early cleft lip and palate surgery on maxillary growth in 5- and 10-Year-old patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES

This study evaluated maxillary growth and dental arch relationships at 5 and 10 years of age in patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) who underwent early cleft lip and palate surgery.

METHODS

28 patients with UCLP who underwent cleft lip surgery in neonatal age and cleft palate surgery at average age of 7 months without orthodontic treatment (intervention group) were measured for intercanine and intermolar distances and for dental arch length. These measurements were compared with those of 30 healthy participants in a control group. Dental arch relationships in the intervention group were evaluated by 5-YO index at 5 years and the GOSLON Yardstick score at 10 years of patients' age.

RESULTS

Patients in the intervention group had significantly shorter mean intercanine distance and arch length than control patients at both 5 and 10 years of age (p<.001 for all). There were no significant differences in intermolar distance at both 5 (p = .945) and 10 years (p = .105) of patients' age. The average 5YO index increased from 2.46 to an average GOSLON 10-year score of 2.89 in intervention group.

CONCLUSION

Intercanine distance and dental arch length of patients with UCLP are significantly reduced at 5 and 10 years after early cleft lip and palate surgeries compared to the healthy population. Dental arch relationships at 5 and 10 years of patients with UCLP show comparable outcomes to those reported by other cleft centers.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: This study evaluates maxillary growth in UCLP patients 5 and 10 years of age who underwent early primary lip and palate surgery.