Objective: To compare the influence of 3 different time protocols of cleft lip and palate operations on the growth of the dentoalveolar arch in patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP).
Materials and methods: We evaluated 64 plaster casts of 8-year-old boys with UCLP operated on according to 3 different time protocols: lip repair at the age of 6 months and palate repair at 4 years, lip repair at 3 months and palate repair at 9 months, and neonatal lip repair and palate repair at 9 months. The control group contained 13 plaster casts of 8-year-old boys. The dentoalveolar arch width was measured between deciduous canines and between the second deciduous molars; the length was measured between incisive papilla and the line connecting both tuber maxillae.
Results: All measured distances were statistically significantly smaller in boys with UCLP than in the control group. Intercanine width was not statistically significantly different between the patients operated on according to the different time protocols. In comparison to the lip repair at 6 months and palate repair at 4 years, the intermolar width was statistically significantly smaller in the group with neonatal lip repair; the alveolar arch length was statistically significantly shorter in both groups with lip repair performed neonatally or at 3 months.
Conclusions: The length of the dentoalveolar arch is shorter after surgical repair of cleft lip neonatally or at the age of 3 months. Cleft palate repair at 9 months can contribute to a reduction in the width of the dentoalveolar arch.
Keywords: cleft lip; cleft palate; dimension; hypoplasia; maxilla; operation timing.