Comparison of maxillary arch dimensions between unilateral cleft lip and palate and non cleft infants

ABSTRACT

The objectives of the study were to investigate the effects of unilateral cleft lip and palate on maxilla, for which our study compared the maxillary dimensions of both unilateral cleft lip and palate and non cleft infants. The study was performed in the Orthodontics department, children hospital, Lahore and the study design was Cross sectional Analytical. The sample consisted of ninety children, thirty with unilateral cleft lip and palate and sixty without cleft lip and palate. Comparison of arch width between cleft and non cleft infants showed the width to be slightly more in the cleft infants but the difference was not statistically significant. Comparison of anterioposteior length and rotation of the right and left maxillary segments showed significantly different values. This research contradicted the hypothesis that cleft lip and palate causes deficits in growth and volume in the maxillary region and supports the viewpoint of bony dislocation of the major and minor cleft segments