Craniofacial morphology in unilateral cleft lip and palate in adults

X-ray measurements were used for studies of craniofacial morphology in unilateral (right-sided) cleft lip and palate in 58 adult males operated upon with the same technique. The results obtained showed a slightly smaller neurocranium without marked changes of the cranial base. Basic facial skeletal deviations included a shortening of maxillary depth, reduction of the upper face height, widening of some maxillary dimensions (interorbital and of nasal cavity), retroinclination of upper incisors and alveolar process and mandibular changes resulting from growth deficiency (they consisted of shortening of the body and ramus, elongation of anterior mandibular height, obtuse gonial angle, acute chin angle, steeper slope of the body, retroinclination of incisors and retrognathia). Described changes caused an impairment of sagittal and vertical jaw relations, anterior crossbite, flattening of the face and a limitation of its anterior growth rotation. There was also a displacement of the whole maxilla backwards and a reduction of the height and of the thickness of the upper lip (increasing retrocheilia). The elongation of the lower face and thus of the whole face was produced by the increase of the anterior height of the mandible, impaired overjet and by maxillary dentoalveolar retroinclination. A slight transversal flattening of the face (greater retrusion in the centre than in the zygomatic regions) was present as well.