MAXILLARY AND MANDIBULAR DENTAL-ARCH DIMENSIONS AND OCCLUSION IN BILATERAL CLEFT-LIP AND PALATE PATIENTS FROM 3 TO 17 YEARS OF AGE

The aim of this study was to describe maxillary and mandibular dental- arch form and occlusion in bilateral cleft of the lip and palate (BCLP ) from 3 to 17 years of age and to compare their characteristics with a normative sample. A sample of 22 patients with BCLP was investigated , with a noncleft control sample used for comparison. Dental-arch dime nsions were studied on dental casts. A comparison between both groups was made at fixed time intervals. From 9 years of age, the cleft sampl e showed a significantly smaller maxillary depth. Maxillary dental-arc h widths were also significantly smaller than in the control group ove r the whole age period. Mandibular dental-arch measurements were very similar in both groups, although smaller first-molar widths were noted in the BCLP group beginning at 12 years of age. A tendency for end-to -end occlusion was found, which became more clear with age and was mos t markedly in the canine region.