Changes in craniofacial development due to modifications of the treatment of unilateral cleft lip and palate

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the craniofacial morphology of children with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) resulting from differing management protocols practiced in Prague from 1945 to 1976.

Design: The craniofacial morphologies of four groups of patients were compared. Two groups were assessed retrospectively (individuals born from 1945 to 1963), and two groups were followed on a longitudinal basis (individuals born from 1966 to 1976).

Setting: The study was conducted at the Cleft Lip and Palate Center at the Department of Plastic Surgery, Prague, which has a catchment area population of 6 million.

Patients: The subjects were a consecutive series of adult males (n = 84) who had complete UCLP without associated malformations.

Interventions: Patients born from 1945 to 1955 did not receive centralized orthodontic therapy. From 1945 to 1965, the alveolar process in the area of the cleft was not surgically repaired. Primary bone grafting was used for the group born from 1965 to 1972, and primary periosteoplasty was used in the subsequent period. Throughout the period covered by the study, the palate was operated on by pushback and pharyngeal flap surgery. From 1945 to 1965, the lip was repaired initially according to Veau, and later according to Tennison and Randall, and during this time, fixed appliances were used for orthodontic treatment.

Results: The results for the period from 1945 to 1955 are characterized by mandibular overclosure with anterior crossbite. Centralized orthodontic treatment in the later period improved sagittal jaw relations due to the posterior displacement of the mandible and an edge-to-edge bite was attained, but maxillary retrusion was unchanged. Primary bone grafting increased retrusion of the maxilla, which was compensated by further posterior displacement of the mandible. An edge-to-edge bite was also obtained. Primary periosteoplasty reduced maxillary retrusion, and the marked proclination of the upper dentoalveolar component with fixed appliances resulted in a positive overjet. It was no longer necessary to push the mandible back to the extent required in bone grafting.

Conclusion: Effective orthodontic treatment made the greatest contribution to improved facial development. It allowed compensation of maxillary retrusion by changes in the position of the mandible or by proclination of the upper dentoalveolar component with fixed appliances. The applied surgical methods using primary bone grafting caused deterioration of the anterior growth of the maxilla.