Transverse Maxillary Development in Complete Cleft Patients: Comparison of 2 Treatment Strategies by Longitudinal and Cross-Sectional Model Analysis:

Objective:This study aimed to compare differences in the maxillary transverse dimension following cleft repair using 2 protocols involving a 2-staged palatal closure with similar timing but different techniques.Design:Retrospective study. Two matched study samples, each containing 10 patients.Setting:Cleft center A is a university hospital. Cleft Center B is a general teaching hospital.Patients:Patients with cleft lip alveolus and palate (CLAP) were matched by cleft type, gender, age, and palatal morphology at the age of 1 month. Differences in the transverse dimension were measured at 4 ages in 2 matched groups (A and B from center A and B), each including 5 patients with unilateral CLAP (UCLAP) and 5 patients with bilateral CLAP (BCLAP).Interventions:Orthodontic/orthopedic expansion treatment began at 8 and 5 years of age at centers A and B, respectively.Results:The mean intercanine distance decreased by 8 mm (standard deviation [SD] = 1.6; P = .030) in group A patients with UCLAP between 1 and 5 years ...