POSITION OF UPPER PERMANENT CENTRAL INCISORS PRIOR TO ERUPTION IN UNILATERAL CLEFT-LIP AND PALATE

The position and degree of eruption of permanent central incisors with in the premaxilla were measured on x-ray films obtained in 102 patient s with unilateral cleft lip and palate and in 52 normal individuals ag ed 5 years. The patients were subdivided according to sex and to the m ethod of surgical repair (bone grafting or periosteal flap surgery), I ndividuals with rotated incisors were assessed separately, The results showed that maxillary depth was not significantly reduced prior to pa late surgery while the alveolar process was markedly retroclined. An u nerupted central upper incisor on the side of the cleft was situated m ore anteriorly than in controls, Because of the distortion of the alve olar process, it was retroclined and produced a deformation of the sub spinal concavity, Both this deformation and the distortion of the alve olar process interfered with the measurements of maxillary depth and r endered it inadequate, The incisor on the normal side was situated mor e posteriorly than in controls and was less retroclined than the incis or on the affected side, The degree of eruption of incisors on both th e normal and affected sides did not differ from controls, The type of surgical repair influenced only the retroclination of the alveolar pro cess and of the incisors within this process, The retroclination was m ore marked after primary bone grafting than after periosteal flap surg ery, The position and degree of eruption of rotated incisors did not d iffer from nonrotated incisors, and the presence of rotated incisors w as not related to the degree of the shortening of maxillary depth, The re were no significant differences between males and females.