Craniofacial growth data for cleft lip patients infancy to 6 years of age: potential applications.

The present work was undertaken to provide craniofacial roentgenocephalometric growth data on a group of patients with cleft lip ranging in age from infancy to 6 years. Included are variables related to the neurocranium and orbit. Mensurational data were derived from cephalograms of 72 patients (44 male and 28 female subjects) with cleft lip only (n = 38) or cleft lip with varying degrees of alveolar cleft (n = 34). The data in this mixed longitudinal sample are reported for ten age groups. On the basis of comparison with reported noncleft roentgenocephalometric values, it is suggested that the data may serve as a reference for early craniofacial growth. Measurements from four persons with different types of craniofacial anomalies are also presented to illustrate the application of the reported data in the assessment of craniofacial growth.