Cephalometric analysis of morphological characteristics of the cranial base in cases with unilateral and bilateral clefts of the lip and palate

Abstract

Lateral cephalometric radiographs of 31 cases with unilateral clefts of the lip and palate, 31 cases with complete bilateral clefts of the lip and palate as well as 31 cases with skeletal class I relationship were used for this study. The following angular and linear measurements were analysed: NSBa, SBaN, BaSN, S-N, S-Ba and N-Ba. The groups were compared with each other for all measurements studied. There was no significant difference between these groups for NSBa and SBaN angles. The mean value of the BaSN angle was significantly lower in the group with complete unilateral clefts of the lip and palate than in the remaining two groups. The mean values for linear measurements investigated were significantly lower in the group with unilateral clefts than in the remaining two groups.