Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between craniofacial patterns and cleft of alveolus and palate. Twenty-one posteroanterior cephalograms of unilateral cleft lip, alveolus and palate patients over Hellman dental age III C were studied. The line running through the Lo (latero orbitale) bilaterally was indicated by the horizontal line, and the midline was perpendicular line to the horizontal line through the center of the CG (crista gali). The lateral deviation of the mandible; inclination of the plane running through the apex of the upper lateral posterior alveolar process bilaterally, occlusal plane and mandibular plane; distance from horizontal line and midline to the apex of the upper lateral posterior alveolar process occlusal plane; and mandibular plane were measured, and statistical analysis was performed.
The following results were obtained
1. The mandible tended to deviate to the cleft side.
2. There were significantly positive relationships between mandible deviation and inclination of the plane running through the apex of upper lateral posterior alveolar process, occlusal plane and mandibular plane.
3. There were no relationshisps between mandible deviation and distance from the midline to both lateral alveolar apex of upper molar and Go (Gonion).
4. There were significantly negative relationships between mandible deviation and distance from the horizontal line to the buccal apex of the upper molar, occlusal plane and Go.
The result of this study suggested that deficiency of growth in the maxilla on the cleft side significantly alters the deviation of the mandible.
Therefore, it is important to recognize an appropriate mandibular position and control the vertical dimension of the occlussal plane.
