Skeletal Facial Patterns in Cleft Lip and/or Palate: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Brazilian Craniofacial Center

Abstract

Objective

To describe the demographic and clinical profile of individuals with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) and to analyze the association between cleft type, skeletal facial pattern, gender, and ethnicity.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

Dental Clinic of the Craniofacial Deformities Rehabilitation Center of Southern Brazil.

Patients

Four hundred orthodontic records of patients with CL/P treated, between 2018 and 2020.

Main Outcome Measure

The variables analyzed were cleft type, gender, race/color, skeletal facial pattern, facial profile, and maxillary and mandibular positioning. Data were evaluated using frequencies and multinomial logistic regression (crude and adjusted analysis), estimating odds ratios (OR) and respective 95% confidence intervals (CI). Variables with P < .10 in the crude analysis were included in the adjusted model, and those with P < .05 remained in the adjusted model

Results

The mean age was 13 years (SD ± 9.5), 64% were male, and 79.3% were white. The most prevalent cleft was unilateral transforaminal (36%). Type II facial pattern predominated (45%), with a convex profile (64%) and retrusion of the maxilla (53%) and mandible (73%). A significant association was observed between male gender and post-foraminal clefts (OR = 2.67; 95% CI 1.44–4.95) and between skeletal type III facial pattern and post-foraminal (OR = 2.90; 95% CI 1.14–7.36) and transforaminal (OR = 3.45; 95% CI 1.53–7.79) clefts.

Conclusions

A high prevalence of convex facial profile, skeletal type II pattern, and maxillomandibular retrusion was observed. Male sex was associated with higher odds of post-foraminal cleft, and skeletal type III facial was associated with higher odds of post-foraminal and transforaminal clefts.