Maxillary arch width in unoperated adult of the unilateral cleft lip and alveolus patients

Background The transversal measurement on the dento-alveolar fragments of the maxilla, in the unoperated adult patients with unilateral cleft lip and alveolus are rare and have not been well documented and archived in the scientific journals. The effect of the congenital malformation is obvious in the Unilateral Cleft Lip and Alveolus (UCLA) patients and is well documented. Objectives The aim of this study is to investigate whether there are any influences of the final transversal development of the maxilla based on the location and extent of the defect in patients with UCLA. Methods 168 adult unoperated UCLA patients (study group) and 24 non cleft patients (control group) participated in this study. Plaster of Paris (POP) casts were made of the maxillary dentition and mesurement were taken using coordinate measuring machine (CCM) (Zeiss Numere, Carl Zeiss, Stuttgart, Germany). Result The mean values of maxillary transverse measurement of first premolar through the second molar of the UCLA and control group patients showed no statistically significant difference. The inter-canine distance was significantly smaller in the UCLA patients than non-cleft patients Conclusions The maxillary inter-canine distance in untreated UCLA patients were significantly different from that of non cleft patients. There is narrow and constricted maxillary growth in UCLA patients causing maxillary morphological changes and cosmetic facial changes.