3D analysis of effects of primary surgeries in cleft lip/palate children during the first two years of life

Abstract This study aimed at monitoring the maxillary growth of children with cleft lip/palate in the first two years of life, and to evaluate the effects of primary surgeries on dental arch dimensions. The sample consisted of the three-dimensional digital models of 25 subjects with unilateral complete cleft lip and palate (UCLP) and 29 subjects with isolated cleft palate (CP). Maxillary arch dimensions were measured at 3 months (before lip repair), 1 year (before palate repair), and at 2 years of age. Student’s ttest was used for comparison between the groups. Repeated measures ANOVA followed by Tukey’s test was used to compare different treatment phases in the UCLP group. Paired ttest was used to compare different treatment phases in the CP group. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Decreased intercanine distance and anterior arch length were observed after lip repair in UCLP. After palate repair, maxillary dimensions increased significantly, except for the intercanine distance in UCLP and the intertuberosity distance in both groups. At the time of palate repair and at two years of age, the maxillary dimensions were very similar in both groups. It can be concluded that the maxillary arches of children with UCLP and CP changed as a result of primary surgery.

Applicability of Bolton's tooth size ratios in Mediterranean, Japanese and Japanese-Brazilian populations

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine if Bolton's tooth size ratios can be applied to Mediterranean, Japanese and Japanese-Brazilian populations. Materials and methods: The sample comprised 90 pairs of dental casts of untreated individuals with normal occlusion, divided into 3 groups according to ethnical characteristics: White (30 Mediterranean descendant subjects, with a mean age of 13.64 years), Japanese (30 subjects with Japanese ancestry, with a mean age of 15.63 years) and Japanese-Brazilian (30 Japanese-Brazilian subjects, with a mean age of 13.96 years). A digital caliper was used to measure the maxillary and mandibular mesiodistal widths from first molar to first molar on each dental cast. The anterior and overall tooth size ratios were calculated. T test was applied for comparisons between Bolton standards and the ethnical groups for anterior and overall ratios. Results: Only the Japanese-Brazilian group showed significantly greater ratios than Bolton standards. Conclusion: It was concluded that Bolton's ratios are not applicable to the Japanese-Brazilian population. Therefore, it is suggested that Bolton's ratios may not be suitable for different populations (AU)