Craniofacial growth in unilateral cleft lip and palate: skeletal growth from eight to eighteen years.

Sixteen individuals with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) were evaluated for determination of several craniofacial dimensional means and growth rates. Each had undergone primary lip and palatal closure and alveolar bone grafting. Serial cephalographs from ages 8 to 18 years, taken every 2 years, were utilized for determination of six cephalometric dimensions: anterior cranial base, upper and lower facial heights, posterior nasomaxillary height, maxillary horizontal length, and mandibular length. These were then compared to published cephalometric standards of a nonclefted group. All dimensions, except mandibular length, were smaller in the UCLP group. The horizontal maxillary length was the most diminished in mean length and growth rate; it appears to be most affected in UCLP. The remaining dimensions and growth rates are affected by UCLP, but to a lesser degree. These findings indicated that individuals with unilateral cleft lip and palate are primarily and adversely affected by clefting (and the surgery as described) in the horizontal maxilla, both in dimension and growth rate.