A Longitudinal Study on the Changes ofthe Primary Dental Arch Dimensions in Cleft Lip and / or Palate Subjects

• Published in: Journal of Japanese Cleft Palate Association Vol. 17; no. 3; pp. 169 - 185
• Main Authors: OKA, Masuichirou, SUZUKI, Akira, TAKENOSHITA, Yasuharu, OHISHI, Masamichi, KOUNO, Kimiko, TASHIRO, Hideo, TERADA, Kumiko, GOTO, Keiya
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: Japanese Cleft Palate Association 30.07.1992
• Subjects: cast analysis; cleft lip and palate; dental arch; growth; longitudinal study; 唇顎口蓋裂患者; 成長; 模型分析; 歯列弓形態; 経年的研究
• ISSN: 0386-5185; 2186-5701
• DOI: 10.11224/cleftpalate1976.17.3_169

Serial dental casts on 154 cleft subjects consising of 13 cleft lip (CL),24 cleft lip and alveolus (CLA),23 bilateral cleft lip and palate (b-CLP),58 unilateral cleft lip and palate (u-CLP), and 36 cleft palate (CP) were reviewed to study changes in the dental arch dimensions. Dental casts were taken after cheiloplasty and/or palatoplasty until the beginning of orthodontic treatments. Changes in the dental arch widths were different among each cleft type; CL, CLA, u-CLP, b-CLP, and CP. A majority of the CL and CLA cases showed increases in dental arch widths, while the dental arch widths decreased in 20-40 % of CP cases,60-70% of b-CLP, and 40-55 % of u-CLP. Dental arch lengths showed no special tendency for each specific cleft type in subjects with cleft lip. The continuity of the maxillary complex is an important factor for determining the dental arch form. In CLP subjects, there was a higher frequency in the reduction of the maxillary primary inter-1 st molar width than in the inter-2 nd molar or inter-canine widths. This result suggests an impediment caused by the palatoplasty. In the post-operative course of more than two years, some cases showed a reduction of dental arch widths. The increasing or the decreasing change was larger in subjects between four and eight years of age, and especially between the ages of six and eight years. Although the evaluation based on the average changes of longitudinal data may show a catch-up growth pattern after an operation, an analysis of each individual shows an increase or a decrease, sometimes a slow and sometimes a rapid one.