A question of the role of the vomer in the growth of the premaxillary segment.

Antero-posterior retardation of upper jaw growth became evident in all five dogs with surgically placed clefts and extirpation of the vomer within 8 weeks following surgery. Five control dogs with congenital cleft palate maintained a normal jaw relationship. The evidence indicated that the difference in growth between the two groups may be explained in terms of the role played by the vomer in the growth and support of the upper jaw in the dog. This observation suggests that the dog may be used as a model for the study of retardation of growth in the antero-posterior dimension and indicates a need for research concerned with the role of the vomer in the human bilateral cleft condition.