Craniofacial morphology in children with operated complete unilateral cleft lip and palate

The objective of the study was to compare the craniofacial characteristics of children with operated unilateral complete cleft lip and palate (UCLP) with those of noncleft children. Lateral and posteroanterior cephalometric radiographs of subjects with UCLP and controls who were matched for sex, age, and ethnic origin were analyzed and compared. There were a total of 21 subjects with UCLP (10 boys and 11 girls) from the Orthodontic Department of Selcuk University and 15 controls (7 boys and 8 girls) from the Orthodontic Department of Ankara University. The nasal bone length in the group with cleft did not differ significantly from that in the control group. Subjects with UCLP included in the study appeared to have shorter faces, smaller mandibulae, greater lateral orbital width, and smaller sella turcicae compared with controls. Unilateral cleft lip and palate affects the intracranial morphology as well as dentofacial structures.