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Assessment of skeletal age in children with unilateral cleft lip and palate
1Professor, Department of Orthodontics, AB Shetty Memorial Dental Institute of Dental Sciences, Mangalore, Karnataka, India,
Insights
Children with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) show delayed skeletal maturation in younger years compared to noncleft peers. However, this delay is not significant in older children with UCLP.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Orthodontics
- Craniofacial Biology
Background:
- Unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) can impact craniofacial development.
- Assessing skeletal maturity is crucial for orthodontic treatment planning in these children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate and compare skeletal maturity in children with UCLP versus noncleft children.
- To identify age-related differences in skeletal maturation patterns.
Main Methods:
- Institutional-based study involving 60 children with UCLP and 60 noncleft children (ages 10-15).
- Cervical vertebrae assessment using lateral cephalograms based on modified Lamparski's criteria.
- Statistical analysis performed using Fisher's exact test.
Main Results:
- Younger UCLP children (10-13 years) exhibited a significant delay in skeletal maturation compared to controls.
- Older UCLP children (13-15 years) showed a trend towards faster skeletal maturation, though not statistically significant.
Conclusions:
- Children with UCLP demonstrate a delay in skeletal maturation, particularly in younger age groups.
- The findings suggest age-specific considerations for orthodontic interventions in UCLP patients.
Objective:
The objective of the study was to assess the skeletal maturity in children with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) and to compare it with that of the noncleft children.
Design And Setting:
It is an institution based study conducted on randomly selected subjects visiting the hospital for consultation and treatment.
Participants:
A total of 60 children with UCLP (25 boys and 35 girls) and 60 noncleft children (30 boys and 30 girls) with normal occlusion in the age group of 10 to 15 years participated in the study. They were classified as younger (10 to 13 years) and older (13 to 15 years) age group and the cervical vertebrae were assessed in lateral cephalograms using Hassel and Farman, modifications of Lamparski's criteria.
Statistical Analysis:
Data was analyzed using Fisher's exact test.
Results:
Younger age group children with UCLP showed significant delay in skeletal maturation when compared with the noncleft children, whereas older age group children with UCLP showed a faster rate of skeletal maturation when compared with that of noncleft children but the difference was statistically not significant.
Conclusion:
Children with UCLP exhibit delay in attaining skeletal maturation when compared to noncleft children. There is a delay in skeletal maturation at younger age but not in older age group of children with UCLP. How to cite this article: Ravi MS, Ravikala S. Assessment of Skeletal Age in Children with Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2013;6(3):151-155.
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