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Maxillary arch dimensions in bilateral cleft lip and palate from birth until four years of age in boys
K L Heidbuchel1, A M Kuijpers-Jagtman, G J Kramer
1Orthodontic Department, University Hospital of Leuven, Belgium.
Insights
Maxillary arch dimensions in children with bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) differ significantly from noncleft children during the first four years. Early surgical interventions impact arch width and depth development in BCLP patients.
Area of Science:
- Craniofacial development
- Pediatric dentistry
- Cleft lip and palate research
Background:
- Children with bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) exhibit distinct craniofacial growth patterns.
- Understanding maxillary arch development is crucial for effective treatment planning in BCLP patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To document the developmental trajectory of maxillary arch dimensions in children with BCLP from birth to four years of age.
- To compare these dimensions with those of noncleft children.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective, mixed-longitudinal study design was employed.
- Maxillary arch dimensions were measured from dental casts of 26 boys with BCLP and 34 noncleft controls.
- Measurements were taken at birth, 7 months, 12 months, and 4 years of age.
Main Results:
- At birth, BCLP children had larger anterior and posterior arch widths and depths.
- Following lip closure (7 months), anterior arch width and depth decreased significantly in the BCLP group.
- By age 4, BCLP children showed significantly narrower anterior arch width, shorter anterior arch depth, and wider posterior arch width compared to controls.
Conclusions:
- Maxillary arch dimensions in children with BCLP follow a unique developmental pattern.
- This development significantly diverges from that observed in noncleft children during the first four years of life.
Objective:
To describe the development of maxillary arch dimensions in children with bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) during the first 4 years of life and to compare it with that in noncleft children.
Design:
This was a retrospective, mixed-longitudinal study.
Setting:
The study was conducted at the Cleft Palate Center of the University Hospital of Nijmegen.
Subjects:
The sample consisted of 26 boys with BCLP who were born between 1976 and 1990 and treated at the University Hospital of Nijmegen. Data for a control group of 34 noncleft boys were collected at the University Hospital of Amsterdam.
Method:
Palatal arch dimensions were digitized on dental casts. A comparison between BCLP and noncleft dimensions was made at fixed time intervals.
Results:
At birth, anterior and posterior arch widths as well as arch depths were significantly larger in children with BCLP. After 7 months (lip closure), anterior arch width and arch depth diminished considerably in the cleft group. After 12 months (palatoplasty), a slight decrease in posterior arch width was observed, and arch depths showed slight catch-up growth. At 4 years of age, anterior arch width was significantly narrower and anterior arch depth was shorter in children with BCLP than in control subjects. Posterior arch width was significantly wider.
Conclusions:
During the first 4 years of life, maxillary arch dimensions in children with BCLP show a unique development that is significantly different from that in noncleft children.