Genome scan reveals several loci associated with torus palatinus.

Objective: Torus Palatinus (TP) is a common trait with an unclear aetiology. Although prior studies suggest a hereditary component, the genetic factors that influence TP risk remain unknown. The purpose of this study is to identify genetic variants associated with TP.

A Longitudinal Investigation of Nasolabial Changes With and Without Revision Surgery in Patients with Non-Syndromic Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate.

Objective: To determine a baseline of anticipated change in nasolabial appearance following primary repair of unilateral cleft lip/palate and evaluate the degree to which revision surgery improves nasolabial appearance.

Design: Retrospective chart review.

Setting: Patients treated at the Lancaster Cleft Palate Clinic interdisciplinary clinic.

The Severity of Initial Unilateral Cleft Lip and Nasal Deformity Predicts Long-Term Postoperative Esthetic Outcome.

Background: Infantile cleft lip and nasal severity influence the final esthetic result of the repair. Although various authors have described methods of cleft lip and nasal repair, there is a paucity of data that correlates cleft severity with esthetic outcomes. The aim of this study was to examine the correlation between presurgical severity of unilateral cleft deformity and long-term postoperative esthetic outcomes.

Evaluating SWAG and Its Validity When Compared to 3D Imagery of Secondarily Grafted Cleft Sites.

Objective: To test validity of 2D Standardized Way to Assess Grafts (SWAG) ratings to assess 3D outcomes of bone grafting (ABG).

Patients: 43 patients (34 UCLP, 9 BCLP) with non-syndromic complete clefts, bone-grafted at mean age 9yrs/3mos, with available post-graft occlusal radiographs and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) (taken mean 4yrs/9mos post-ABG).

Main Outcome Measures: 2D occlusal radiographs rated twice using SWAG by 6 calibrated raters.

Early Secondary Alveolar Bone Grafting and Facial Growth of Patients with Complete Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate.

Objective: To investigate the craniofacial growth outcomes of early secondary alveolar bone grafting(ABG) around 6 years of age.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: 1 North-American and 5 Northern-European cleft centers.

Prevalence of Torus Palatinus and association with dental arch shape in a multi-ethnic cohort.

Torus Palatinus (TP) is a bony projection located on the oral surface of the hard palate. The trait is typically benign, has an unknown etiology, and varies widely in phenotypic expression. Prior studies suggest differences in TP prevalence by sex and ancestry, but the reported rates vary, even within a single ancestral group.

Parents of Children With Nonsyndromic Orofacial Clefting Show Altered Palate Shape.

Objective: The unaffected relatives of individuals with nonsyndromic orofacial clefts have been shown to exhibit subtle craniofacial differences compared with the general population. Here, we investigate whether these morphological differences extend to the shape of the palate.

Design: We conducted a geometric morphometric analysis to compare palate shape in the clinically unaffected parents of children with nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate and adult controls of European, Asian, and African ancestry.

The Effect of Earlier Bone Grafting, Prior to Orthodontic Treatment, on SWAG Ratings of Graft Outcomes.

Objective: To compare the outcomes between 2 groups of patients with complete clefts treated with early secondary alveolar bone grafting (ABG) at 2 centers (5-7 years, orthodontic intervention) and to a third group of patients treated at one of those centers (center 1) who had received later secondary ABG (8-10 years, orthodontic intervention).

Design: Blind retrospective analysis of cleft site radiographs using Americleft Standardized Way to Assess Grafts (SWAG) scale.

Patients: A total of 99 patients with complete clefts from 2 North American cleft/craniofacial centers.

Patient-Centered Satisfaction After Secondary Correction of the Cleft Lip and Nasal Defect.

Objective: To evaluate patient-reported aesthetic and psychosocial outcomes of secondary cleft lip and nose revision procedures.

Design: Single-center cohort study.

Setting: Tertiary care pediatric hospital.

Facial Growth of Patients With Complete Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Treated With Alveolar Bone Grafting at 6 Years.

Objective: To investigate the effect that alveolar bone grafting (ABG) around 6 years of age has on facial growth by assessing craniofacial growth outcomes.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: North American cleft centers.

Burden of Care of Various Infant Orthopedic Protocols for Improvement of Nasolabial Esthetics in Patients With CUCLP.

Objectives: 1. To evaluate the orthodontic burden of care of nasoalveolar molding (NAM) and modified McNeil for the treatment of patients with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate (CUCLP). 2.

Active Presurgical Infant Orthopedics for Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate: Intercenter Outcome Comparison of Latham, Modified McNeil, and Nasoalveolar Molding.

Objective: To compare dental arch relationship, craniofacial form, and nasolabial aesthetic outcomes among cleft centers using distinct methods of presurgical infant orthopedics (PSIO).

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Four cleft centers in North America.

An Intercenter Comparison of Nasolabial Appearance Including a Center Using Nasoalveolar Molding.

Objective: To compare nasolabial appearance outcomes of patients with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate (CUCLP) in preadolescence from 4 cleft centers including a center using nasoalveolar molding (NAM) and primary nasal reconstruction.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Four cleft centers in North America.

The Americleft Project: Comparison of Ratings Using Two-Dimensional Versus Three-Dimensional Images for Evaluation of Nasolabial Appearance in Patients With Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate.

This study was conducted to determine if nasolabial appearance is rated with comparable results and reliability on 3-dimensional stereophotogrammetric facial images versus standard clinical photographs (2-dimensional). Twenty-seven consecutively treated patients with repaired complete unilateral cleft lip and palate were selected. Six trained and calibrated raters assessed cropped 2- and 3-dimensional facial images.

The Americleft Project: A Modification of Asher-McDade Method for Rating Nasolabial Esthetics in Patients With Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Using Q-sort.

The purpose of this study was to investigate ways to improve rater reliability and satisfaction in nasolabial esthetic evaluations of patients with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP), by modifying the Asher-McDade method with use of Q-sort methodology. Blinded ratings of cropped photographs of one hundred forty-nine 5- to 7-year-old consecutively treated patients with complete UCLP from 4 different centers were used in a rating of frontal and profile nasolabial esthetic outcomes by 6 judges involved in the Americleft Project's intercenter outcome comparisons. Four judges rated in previous studies using the original Asher-McDade approach.

The Americleft Project: Plaster Dental Casts Versus Digital Images for GOSLON Yardstick Ratings When Used in Intercenter Comparisons.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine reliability and validity of GOSLON Yardstick ratings using plaster casts versus photo galleries of digital images in actual intercenter comparisons. The dental arch relationships of 112 patients with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate from 3 North American cleft/craniofacial centers were rated in 2 separate studies. In the first, plaster casts were used.

An Intercenter Comparison of Dental Arch Relationships and Craniofacial Form Including a Center Using Nasoalveolar Molding.

Objective: To compare dental arch relationship and craniofacial morphology of patients with CUCLP in pre-adolescence from five cleft centers including a center using NAM.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Five cleft centers in North America.

Do Pharyngeal Flaps Restrict Early Midface Growth in Patients With Clefts?

Objective: To compare facial growth characteristics in patients with cleft palate who have undergone pharyngeal flap with those who had palatal lengthening or pharyngoplasty and to control subjects who have not had surgery for velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI).

Design: Matched retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Multidisciplinary cleft care center.

Reliability of the SWAG-The Standardized Way to Assess Grafts Method for Alveolar Bone Grafting in Patients With Cleft Lip and Palate.

Objective: The objective of this study was to test a new method, a Standardized Way to Assess Grafts (SWAG), to rate alveolar bone graft (ABG) outcomes for patients with cleft lip and palate.

Design: This was a retrospective comparison using the SWAG scale.

Setting: This study took place in four cleft palate centers with different treatment protocols.

A Standard Set of Outcome Measures for the Comprehensive Appraisal of Cleft Care.

Care of the patient with cleft lip and/or palate remains complex. Prior attempts at aggregating data to study the effectiveness of specific interventions or overall treatment protocols have been hindered by a lack of data standards. There exists a critical need to better define the outcomes-particularly those that matter most to patients and their families-and to standardize the methods by which these outcomes will be measured.

Structural Fat Grafting to Improve Reconstructive Outcomes in Secondary Cleft Lip Deformity.

Objective: To describe the technique and results of structural fat grafting in cleft lip revision, including patient satisfaction and aesthetic outcome.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Setting: Multidisciplinary cleft care center.