SAGITTAL POSITION OF THE LEFT AND RIGHT MAXILLARY SEGMENT IN CHILDRENWITH CLEFT-LIP AND PALATE

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to investigate left-ri ght differences in the sagittal position of the maxillary segments in children with cleft lip and palate, Method:The sample consisted of chi ldren with operated cleft lip or cleft lip and alveolus [CL/CLA (n=16) mean age, 9.3 yr], operated unilateral cleft lip and palate [UCLP (n= 27) mean age, 9.1 yr], and operated bilateral cleft lip and palate [BC LP (n=17) mean age, 9.5 yr], Computed tomography (CT) horizontal slice s of the maxilla were obtained and used to determine the sagittal posi tion of the left and right segment of the maxilla in relation to the m andibular rami and the cranial base, Significant effects were analyzed with multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA), Results and Conclusi ons: It was concluded that, in contrast to children having CL/CLA or U CLP, children with BCLP showed left-right differences in the sagittal position of the maxillary segments, The segment on the left side was m ore posteriorly positioned compared to the right side, Because the sam e results were obtained in relation to the mandibular rami as well as in relation to the cranial base, it can be assumed that the position o f these rami are not affected by the different types of oral clefts.