Objective: To evaluate facial growth after modified Veau-Wardill-Kilner/pushback (PB) palatoplasty from childhood to adulthood in patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP).
Design: Retrospective longitudinal study.
Setting: Single center.
Patients: Sixty-two (29 males and 33 females) consecutive patients with nonsyndromic UCLP.
Interventions: Pushback palatoplasty and subsequent cleft palate treatment.
Main outcome measures: Lateral and posterior-anterior cephalograms were taken at 3 different phases: phase 1 (before first-stage orthodontic treatment; N = 58; average age, 4.9 ± 1.1 years), phase 2 (before second-stage orthodontic treatment; N = 58; 15.9 ± 1.1 years), and phase 3 (after orthodontic retention; N = 51; 22.1 ± 3.2 years).
Results: The majority of patients had skeletal class III morphology in all 3 phases due to retrognathic maxilla. Maxillary growth did not improve in phase 2 despite first-stage orthodontic treatment in phase 1. Maxillary morphology improved in phase 3 but retardation occurred, although 77.42% of patients received orthognathic surgery during second-stage orthodontic treatment. Mandibular growth was slightly reduced in phases 1 and 2 and the mandible remained retrognathic in phase 3, following mandibular setback orthognathic surgery. The horizontal occlusal cant was slightly upward and toward the cleft side with respect to the reference plane, and the upper midline was deviated to the cleft side in phases 1 and 3.
Conclusions: Patients with UCLP who undergo phased PB palatoplasty, orthodontic treatment, and orthognathic surgeries do not maintain skeletal class I facial morphology.
Keywords: cephalogram; class III malocclusion; facial morphology; pushback palatoplasty.