[The characteristics of orofacial clefts in small communities].

AIM: Establishing the prevalence of orofacial clefts in a community of institutionalized children and the correlations with sex, weight at birth, life environment, maternal age and children's associated diseases.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

The study was conducted on a batch of 37 living newly-born (15 boys and 22 girls) from 1987 to 1997, with orofacial clefts, institutionalized in placement centers from Iasi, who survived and were treated medical and surgical. The data were collected from the records found in the archives of these centers and were statistically processed with the EpiInfo 3.4.3. software a Center for Disease Control and Prevention C.D.C. (U.S.A.).

RESULTS

In 1987, children with orofacial clefts represented 7.42% and in 1997, 2.18% from the total of all children institutionalized. The average rate of prevalence of live births with orofacial clefts was 3.7/year. The frequency of clefts lip and palate in children who survived was 54.06%, clefts lip was 37.84% and clefts palate of 8.10%. Statistically significant correlations were found between the types of orofacial clefts and sex, weight at birth, life environment, maternal age and children's associated diseases (Fcalculat > F(Fisher)).

CONCLUSIONS

The results confirm the decreased incidence of children with orofacial clefts, the high prevalence of clefts lip and palate the existence of orofacial cleft complications and the need for orthodontic treatment.