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Three-dimensional computer morphometry of the maxilla and face in infants with Pierre Robin sequence--a comparative
1Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Center of Craniofacial Disorders at the University of Tübingen, Federal Republic of Germany.
Objective:
To analyze the morphology of the maxillary crest in infants with Pierre Robin sequence using an anthropometric coordinate system and to compare the data with those of healthy infants.
Setting:
The study was performed at a craniofacial center servicing a large geographic area.
Participants:
The study involved eight infants aged 1-28 days (average, 7 days) with an established diagnosis of Pierre Robin sequence and six healthy infants aged 1-43 days (average, 22 days).
Main Outcome Measures:
Physical models of the maxilla and face obtained by alginate replication were analyzed by computer morphometry yielding the three-dimensional topology of the maxillary crest.
Results:
The maxillary crest of children with Pierre Robin sequence shows an increased inclination relative to the transverse plane (30 +/- 3.9 degrees) as compared with that of healthy infants (20 +/- 2.9 degrees). The maxillary crest of the patients is shortened in the sagittal direction by comparison with healthy controls.
Conclusions:
The increased inclination of the maxilla in infants with Pierre Robin sequence may aggravate the retroposition of the mandible and may thus be a pathogenetic factor contributing to the severe respiratory problems.