The Influence of Palatoplasties on Facial Bone Growth.

Kim, Sang Woo; Chung, Ho Yun; Cho, Byung Chae; Baik, Bong Soo

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons 1999;26(5):849-857.
Published online September 1, 1999.

The Influence of Palatoplasties on Facial Bone Growth.

Sang Woo Kim, Ho Yun Chung, Byung Chae Cho, Bong Soo Baik

Abstract

From 1989 to 1996, push back palatoplasty, 2-flap palatoplasty and Furlow's palatoplasty were the main procedures of cleft palate repair in our institute. To compare the maxillary growth state of patients in each palatoplasty group, evaluation of dental occlusion and cephalometric analysis were performed in total 50 patients. The results were as follows: 1. Normal control group was composed of 17 children who didn't have cleft lip or cleft palate. Mean values of cephalometric data in the normal control group were 6.19 cm in SN length, 1.17cm in ONA length, 7.29cm in effective maxillary length 53.88degree in SNO angle, and 82.41 degree in SNA angle. 2. Fourteen patients who underwent push-back palatoplasty showed anterior crossbite in all cases. SNO angle and SNA angle were significantly decreased compared to the normal control group, which indicated significant impairment of maxillary growth. 3. In seventeen patients who underwent 2-flap palatoplasty, 7 patients showed anterior crossbite. Cephalometric parameters showed no significant difference compared to the normal control group. 4. Nineteen patients underwent Furlow's palatoplasty. In this group, 3 patients had anterior crossbite. Cephalometric parameters showed no significant difference compared to the normal control group. Although this report was based on data acquired from patients before the age of complete maxillary growth, our results suggested that each palatoplasty would have a different influence on maxillary growth.