AMERICAN JOURNAL OF ORTHODONTICS AND DENTOFACIAL ORTHOPEDICS, cilt.146, sa.5, ss.573-578, 2014 (SCI-Expanded)
The purposes of this study were to evaluate the facial soft-tissue thicknesses and craniofacial
morphologies of patients affected by bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) and to compare the findings with a
well-matched control group without any clefts using cone-beam computed tomography.
Methods: The studysample consisted of 40 retrospectively and randomly selected patients divided into 2 groups: a BCLP group
(20 patients; mean age, 13.78 6 3.20 years) and an age- and sex-matched control group without clefts (20
patients; mean age, 13.94 6 2.52 years). Craniofacial and facial soft-tissue thickness measurements were
made with cone-beam computed tomography. The Student t test and multiple linear regression analyses
were performed for the statistical evaluations. Results: The BCLP group had an increased SN-MP angle
(P 5 0.003), a decreased Co-A (P 5 0.000), and retruded maxillary (P 5 0.000) and mandibular (P 5 0.026)
incisors. In addition, patients affected by BCLP had statistically significantly decreased thickness
measurements for the variables subnasale (P 5 0.005) and labrale superior (P 5 0.026) compared with the
controls. The most predictive variables were found at U1-SN (r 5 0.417, P 5 0.004), IMPA (r 5 0.368,
P 5 0.010), and ANB (r 5 0.297, P 5 0.031) for subnasale and U1-SN (r 5 0.284, P 5 0.038) for labrale
superior.
Conclusions: The BCLP group showed greater vertical growth, greater retrusion of the maxilla and
the maxillary and mandibular incisors, and decreased subnasale and labrale superior thicknesses compared
with the well-matched controls without clefts. These differences should be taken into account when planning
orthodontic and orthognathic surgery treatment for those patients. (Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop
2014;146:573-8)