A cephalometric study of cleft lip and palate patients with a class III malocclusion

Choi, Jong Hak; Hwang, Ung; Ryu, Sun Youl

Abstract

The present study clarifies the dentocraniofacial morphology of patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP) with Class III malocclusion prior to orthodontic treatment. The sample was 16 patients with repaired unilateral complete CLP (the CLP group; 20.6+/-5.9 years in mean age). The patients without CLP with Class III malocclusion, consisting of 11 patients treated by surgical orthodontic treatment (the Class III group; 22.5+/-5.1 years in mean age). Analyses were performed using the lateral and the posteroanterior cephalograms compared to the normal group. In skeletal analysis of lateral cephalograms, the CLP group showed significantly greater values for Post. cranial base length, Post. FH/Ant. FH and smaller values for Mand. body length, facial angle, facial length, Wit's appraisal, Ant. face height, SNA, SNB, gonial angle as compared with those of the Class III group. In denture analysis of lateral cephalograms the CLP group showed significantly greater values for IMPA, ODI and smaller values for Mx 1 to APo, Md 1 to APo, Mn 1 to FP, Mx 1 - SN, APDI as compared with those of the Class III group. In Burstone analysis, the CLP group showed significantly greater values for 1-MP(angle) and smaller values for N-B, 1-NF(perpendicular NF), N-ANS, ANS-Gn, MP-HP, Ar-Go-Gn, 1-NF(angle) as compared with those of the Class III group. In the CLP group lingual positioning and incline of the maxillary anterior teeth was seen due to the undergrowth of maxilla and the scar of upper lip and in class III group lingual positioning and labial incline of the mandibular anterior teeth was seen due to the overgrowth of mandible and its compensation. In the posteroanterior cephalograms, CLP group showed no significant difference compared with Class III group. These results showed that CLP patients who required surgical orthodontic treatment had a characteristic dentocraniofacial morphology, that is to say, the undergrowth of maxilla as well as lingual positioning and incline of the maxillary anterior teeth comparing to Class III patients without CLP.