Cranial base and facial skeleton asymmetries in individuals with unilateral cleft lip and palate

Objective: Individuals with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) manifest a plethora of phenotypic characteristics, including asymmetric development of the middle and lower facial skeleton. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively investigate the development of cranial base asymmetries in patients with UCLP noted on posteroanterior cephalometric radiographs. Methods: Thirty individuals with UCLP and 64 controls participated in this study. Medial and lateral cranial base asymmetries were analyzed on frontal cephalometric radiographs relative to three developmental stages. Furtherm ore, the development of horizontal and vertical lower facial asymmetry in t hese patients with UCLP was assessed in relation to cranial base, nasomaxil lary, and dentoalveolar structures. Results: Individuals with UCLP demonstrated cranial base asymmetries that d id not significantly differ from individuals without cleft. in addition, lo wer facial asymmetry in patients with UCLP correlated with horizontal lower facial and dentoalveolar asymmetries but not with cranial base or nasomaxi llary structures. Conclusions: No significant vertical cranial base asymmetries were detected in patients with UCLP, Horizontal lower facial asymmetry appeared to devel op in close relation to the vertical asymmetries of mandibular fossae and d entoalveolus.