Late results of the surgical treatment in unilateral complete cleft lip and palate. Occlusal and craniofacial characteristics.

Sixty-one UCLP patients at 17-20 years of age treated surgically in childhood by M. Krauss were invited for check-up examination to evaluate their occlusal and craniofacial characteristics. Dental study casts were used to determine the dental arch widths and lengths according to Moorrees points and to classify the occlusion according the descriptive and numerical methods. Conventional distances and angles were measured on 45 radiographs. The maxillary canine arch width was smaller by 4 mm than those of the control group, while the maxillary molar arch width did not differ significantly from the normal value. In contrary, the mandibular molar arch width was considerably greater in the studied group than in the control one. The frequency of anterior crossbite was 7%, the lateral crossbite on the cleft side 30%, bilateral crossbite 26% and the crossbite in all segments 16%. In 21% of cases, no crossbite was observed. These results were confirmed by occlusal scoring. The cephalometric analysis showed a decreased maxillary horizontal length and maxillary protrusion angle when compared with the control group, while the anterior upper facial height and incisor inclination angles did not differ significantly. The midface constituted in men 42.5% and in women 42.6% of the total face height.