Abstract
Transitional changes were statistically surveyed in patients with cleft lip/palate in the department of orthodontics, Kagoshima University Dental Hospital, during the 20 years from April 1980 to March 2000.
1. Patients total 624, which accounted for 7.8% of all firstvisit patients, and for 18.4% of all patients who started orthodontic treatment.
2. The number of patients showed a general decrease, although there were peaks in 1980,1984,1990, and 1995.
3. The mean age of patients at the first visit was 7.5 years old. Ages at the first visit ranged from ages 4 to 7, from the late deciduous dentition to the early mixed dentition.
4. Patients from 6 years old to 11 years old were dominant in the first 8 years, while those from 0 to 5 years old were dominant in the last 8 years.
5. Over 80% of patients were referred from the First and the Second Departments of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of the same hospital.
6. Percentages of patients with cleft lip (CL), cleft lip and alveolus (CLA), cleft lip and palate (CLP), and isolated cleft palate (CP) were 5.6 %,21.4%,55.8%, and 17.0% respectively. The percentage of CLP decreased from 78.0% to 36.1%, while that of CP increased from 6.3% to 33.7%, during the 20 years. Percentages of cleft sides as bilateral, unilateral left, and unilateral right were 20.1%,54.4%, and 25.5%, respectively.
7. Males were dominant in CL and CLP, while females were in CP. However, the male/ female ratio was about 1: 1 in CLA.
8. As to the malocclusions, percentages of anterior crossbite, Class I crowding, and maxillary protrusion were 68.8%,12.5%, and 10.4%, respectively. Percentage of anterior crossbite decreased from 84.9 % to 44.6%, while that of maxillary protrusion increased from 2.5% to 16.9%, during the 20 years.
