Comparative CBCT Analysis of Maxillofacial Skeletal Structures in Patients with Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate and Non-Cleft Individuals.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the maxillofacial structures of individuals with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) and healthy controls using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT).

Methods: The study included a total of 90 subjects, comprising 45 randomly selected individuals with UCLP (30 males and 15 females, mean age 14.69 ± 3.95 years) in the study group and 45 healthy individuals (30 males and 15 females, mean age 14.46 ± 3.65 years) in the control group. Maxillofacial measurements were taken in three different planes and categorized into five groups, namely vertical, facial, cranial, maxillary, and mandibular. In the statistical comparison between groups, the significance level was determined as < 0.05.

Results: There were no significant differences in the age and gender distributions between the groups ( > 0.05). Upper anterior face height and posterior face height in the UCLP group were found to be significantly shorter than the control group ( < 0.05). Midface width and depth were inadequate in the UCLP group ( < 0.05). Anterior and posterior cranial base lengths were significantly shorter in individuals with UCLP ( < 0.05). Nasal width and interorbital width were significantly greater in the UCLP group ( < 0.05). In addition, maxillary width, maxillary length, and mandibular width were significantly shorter in the UCLP group than in the control group ( < 0.05).

Conclusions: While the control group exhibited generally longer measurements in all three dimensions compared to the study group, the skeletal structures adjacent to the cleft demonstrated the most notable developmental deficiency.