Radiological survey of the cervical spine in cleft lip and palate

Cleft lip and palate is known to be associated with a number of other skeletal anomalies. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of possible malformations of the cervical spine and their relationship to velopharyngeal incompetence. The lateral cephalometric radiographs of 30 patients aged between 14 and 27 years of age with cleft lip and palate were compared with these of a control group, who had been involved in cycle accidents. The radiographs were assessed for morphological anomalies of the first and second cervical vertebrate and, in addition, longitudinal and angular measurements performed. Speech was assessed by electromagnetic articulography. A greater number of cervical spine anomalies were found in patients with cleft lip and palate and these were also associated with significantly (P < 0.05) greater osseous-nasopharyngeal depth.