CRANIOFACIAL GROWTH IN BILATERAL CLEFT-LIP AND PALATE - AGES 6 YEARS TO ADULTHOOD

The purpose of the study was to localize the characteristic craniofaci al abnormalities in young children with complete bilateral cleft lip a nd palate, to average their growth changes, and to compare all these t o observations from a normative sample. A longitudinal sample of 30 ma les with complete bilateral cleft lip and palate was obtained from the files of the Craniofacial Center at The Hospital for Sick Children, T oronto. An age-matched noncleft control sample was selected from the B urlington Orthodontic Research Center. All individuals had lateral cep halometric radiographs at approximately 6 years, 12 years, and as adul ts. These were analyzed by cephalometrics and by tensor biometrics. Th e results of the two methods of analysis were in agreement and tended to complement each other. In the cleft sample, there was little clefti ng effect on the midline structures of the cranial base; the premaxill a was initially protruded but became normal in the adult; the nasal bo ne was longer and more protruded; the posterior maxillary segments wer e hypoplastic and the bony pharynx narrower; there was over-eruption o f the posterior teeth; and the mandibular gonial area was smaller.