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Craniofacial morphology in prematurely born children
Liselotte Paulsson1, Lars Bondemark
1Department of Orthodontics, Malmo University, Malmo, Sweden. liselotte.paulsson@mah.se
Insights
Craniofacial morphology differs significantly in extremely preterm children compared to full-term controls. Preterm birth impacts facial development, affecting cranial base, jaw length, and incisor position.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric dentistry
- Craniofacial development
- Neonatal studies
Background:
- Premature birth can impact overall growth and development.
- Craniofacial morphology in preterm children requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the craniofacial morphology of very preterm and extremely preterm children with full-term controls.
- To test the hypothesis of no difference in craniofacial morphology between preterm and full-term born children.
Main Methods:
- Cephalometric analysis of lateral head radiographs from 36 very preterm, 36 extremely preterm, and 31 full-term children (aged 8-10 years).
- Inclusion of 15 angular and 11 linear cephalometric variables.
- Registration of height, weight, and head circumference.
Main Results:
- Extremely preterm children exhibited a shorter anterior cranial base and less convex skeletal profile.
- Both preterm groups showed significantly shorter maxillary length compared to full-term controls.
- Lower incisors were more retroclined and retruded in extremely preterm children; these children were also shorter with lower weight and smaller head circumference.
Conclusions:
- The null hypothesis was rejected, indicating significant craniofacial differences.
- Preterm birth is associated with distinct craniofacial morphology and growth deficits.
- Findings highlight the long-term effects of preterm birth on craniofacial development.
Objective:
To test the null hypothesis that there is no difference between the craniofacial morphology of prematurely born children and that of matched full-term born controls.
Materials And Methods:
White children 8 to 10 years of age, born at the University Hospitals of Lund and Malmö and living in the same part of Sweden, were included. One group consisted of 36 very preterm children, born during gestational weeks 29 to 32; the other group included 36 extremely preterm children, who were born before the 29th gestational week. Subjects were compared with a control group of 31 full-term children, who were matched for gender, age, nationality, and living area. One lateral head radiograph was taken for each child, and the cephalometric analysis included 15 angular and 11 linear variables. Also, the height, weight, and head circumference of each child were registered.
Results:
A significantly shorter anterior cranial base and a less convex skeletal profile were found among extremely preterm children, and significantly shorter maxillary length was noted in both extremely preterm and very preterm groups as compared with full-term children. The lower incisors were significantly more retroclined and retruded in the extremely preterm group compared with the very preterm group and the full-term control group. Extremely preterm children were significantly shorter, and both extremely preterm and very preterm children had significantly lower weight and smaller head circumference compared with full-term children.
Conclusion:
The null hypothesis was rejected because several craniofacial parameters differed significantly between preterm and full-term born control children.
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