Growth of the dental arch in patients with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate after primary periosteoplasty.

On dental casts obtained in 28 patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate treated with primary periosteal flap surgery were investigated the length and width parameters of the dentoalveolar arch of the upper and lower jaws. The patients were examined prior to palate surgery and subsequently in adulthood. The series of controls includes individuals without clefts matched in age. Prior to palate surgery the width of the maxillary dentoalveolar arch in clefts was smaller when it was measured as the distance between the canines, while it was larger between deciduous second molars. The length of the maxilla was shortened. Parameters of the width of the anterior and middle segment of the maxilla remained unchanged in clefts up to adulthood and therefore were significantly smaller in adults with clefts as compared to controls. The length of the maxilla increased up to adulthood though less than in controls. Both in childhood and in adulthood the dimensions of the mandibular alveolar arch were identical with the situation in controls.