The comparative study of craniofacial structural characteristic of individuals with different types of cleft palate.

To compare craniofacial structural characteristic of individuals with different types of cleft palate and to lay a foundation for better treatment protocol for patients with cleft palate, we chose a sample consisting of 12 patients with Treacher Collin syndrome, 15 patients with Pierre Robin sequence, 40 patients with unilateral complete cleft lip and palate, and 40 patients with isolated cleft palate who met certain criteria. Lateral cephalometric radiographs were obtained from each subject. A total of 22 variables, comprising 11 angular, 9 linear, and 2 ratio measurements, were studied. The z-scores were analyzed during paired Student t test. The data showed us that there seems to be no difference in craniofacial structures between patients with isolated cleft palate and normal persons. Patients with unilateral complete cleft lip and palate who had only cleft lip repaired exhibit such characteristics as midface retrusion, relatively excessive lower facial height, and more obtuse gonial angle. The cranial base areas of individuals with Treacher Collin syndrome and Pierre Robin sequence are similar to those of normal persons. Mandibular hypoplasia in both vertical and horizontal dimensions and maxillary retrusion can be found in patients with Treacher Collin syndrome, while only mandibular hypoplasia in the horizontal dimension can be found in patients with Pierre Robin sequence. The developmental deficiency of craniofacial structures seems to be a separate deformity, not the direct outcome of cleft palate defect.

[Comparative research of craniofacial structural characteristics of syndromic and non-syndromic patients with cleft palate].

OBJECTIVE: To compare craniofacial structural characteristic of syndromic and non-syndromic patients with cleft palate and to probe into the reason of their maxillary hypoplasia and to lay a foundation for better treatment protocol for syndromic patients with cleft palate. METHODS: The sample consisted of 8 individuals with Treacher Collin syndrome, 9 patients with Pierre Robin syndrome, and 40 patients with non-syndromic cleft palate which met certain criterions. Lateral cephalometric radiographs were obtained from each study subject. A total of 18 variables, comprising 9 angular, 7 linear, and 2 ratio measurements, were studied. SPSS 12.0 software was used to describe the statistics data, consisting of means, SD, and t test. RESULTS: The tendency for smaller value in SNB and larger value in ANB indicate a severer anteroposterior mandibular hypoplasia in the syndromic type cleft. There was no difference between syndromic and non-syndromic cleft palate patients with regards to maxillary anteroposterior development. No significant difference on the development in cranial base area was found either. CONCLUSION: This interplay of cranio-facial bones is very important in the development of this complex, which will not only affect the growth but also the defect development. In this study, the patients with the two syndromes showed the similar growth potential of maxilla with the non-syndromic cleft patients.