Cephalometric Soft Tissue Characteristics of Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Patients in Relation to Missing Teeth.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate cephalometric soft tissue characteristics in individuals with unilateral complete cleft lip and palate (UCCLP) both with and without missing teeth.

Design: A retrospective investigation of patient records, who are being treated at the cleft lip and palate (CLP) clinics at the College of Dentistry. Ninety-six consecutive records of nonsyndromic UCCLP subjects were recruited (33 subjects without missing teeth and 63 subjects with missing teeth). Linear and angular soft tissue measurements obtained from lateral cephalometric radiographs were evaluated and compared among the studied samples.

Results: Lower lip was significantly retruded and shorter ( p = 0.037), p = 0.015, respectively; in addition to the fact that shallower mentolabial sulcus ( p = 0.05) was found in the subjects with missing teeth, the rest of the soft tissue was not significantly different between the two groups.

Conclusion: In subjects with a UCCLP anomaly, missing teeth have an effect on lower lip position and length, which influenced the mentolabial sulcus. Lower lip position and length differ between cleft patients who present with either multiple missing teeth or with no missing teeth, and this needs to be considered during orthodontic treatment planning and surgical management for the cleft defect.