Evaluation of Congenital Maxillary Growth Using Computed Tomography in Patients With Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate

To analyze congenital lateral maxillary growth for patients with bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP).

A retrospective study.

Kanagawa Children's Medical Center.

Images from computed tomography (CT) of patients with BCLP and control patients that were previously used for treatment.

The following landmarks were used: A, the posterior most point of the piriform aperture; B, the superior most point of the acoustic meatus; C, the point at which line A-B intersects the line drawn perpendicular from line A-B to the maxillary tuberosity; and D, the apical most point of the nasal bone. The following distances were then measured using these landmarks: (1) A-B distance; (2) A-C distance; (3) A-C/A-B; (4) the angle between lines A-B and A-D (∠BAD); and (5) B-D distance.

Mean A-B and A-C distances and A-C/A-B were significantly smaller in the BCLP group than in the control group (P < .01 each). Mean ∠BAD was significantly larger in the BCLP group than in the control group (P < .01). Mean B-D distance did not differ significantly between groups.

Our results indicated that the lateral maxillary segments of patients with BCLP were more posterior than those of the control group, and segment length was shorter compared to the control group on 3D-CT analysis. The lateral maxillary segments of patients with BCLP were basically suggested to originally be underdeveloped.