Differences between facial configuration and development in complete and incomplete unilateral cleft lip and palate during the prepubertal period.

Mixed-longitudinal roentgencephalometric data were used for the determination of differences between the configuration and development of the face in complete and incomplete unilateral cleft lip and palate at the age of 8 to 12 years. As compared to incomplete clefts patients with complete clefts had a reduced height of the upper face and thus also of the face as a whole and an increased width of the nasal cavity. These findings were in agreement with the situation in adults, but contrary to adults we failed to disclose any difference in the depth of the maxilla and thus there were also no differences of the retrusion of the upper jaw, sagittal jaw relations, facial convexity, occlusion of incisors and the prominence of the upper lip. The thickness of the upper lip did not differ as well. The global results showed that the differences between facial configuration in these two types of clefts were much smaller up to the onset of puberty than in adults. Throughout the investigated period of time the growth and development of the investigated parameters proceeded identically in both forms of clefts. The reduction of upper face height in complete clefts confirmed an early, probably prenatal origin of this deviation from normal.