Midfacial growth and dental arch relationships in bilateral cleft palate following secondary alveolar bone grafting and orthodontic intervention: Factors predicting a Le Fort I osteotomy at age 18

Objective: To evaluate midfacial growth and dental arch relationships in patients treated for bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP). Materials and Methods: Data were collected from all patients with BCLP treated at our hospital between 2004 and 2014, with or without premaxillary osteotomy (PO). Dental casts for pre-secondary alveolar bone grafting with PO (SABG + PO) and end-point dental casts were analyzed using the BAURU yardstick scoring system. Pre-SABG + PO, post-SABG + PO, and end-point SABG + PO lateral cephalograms were analyzed. The correlation between both scoring systems was calculated. Results: There were no significant differences between the BAURU scores for centers in a previous study and those collected here. A negative correlation was found between the pre-SABG + PO ANB (Angle between A-point, Nasion and B-point) angle and pre-SABG + PO BAURU scores (R = −0.58; p = 0.000), the long-term post-SABG + PO ANB and mean end-point BAURU (R = −0.50; p = 0.000), and the pre-SABG + PO ANB and mean end-point BAURU (R = −0.51; p = 0.000). Conclusion: We found no significant difference between pre-SABG + PO and end-point BAURU scores. There was a decrease in the SNA (Angle between Sella, Nasion and A-point) and ANB angle over time, indicating delayed growth of the maxilla. We found a negative correlation between the pre-SABG ANB and end-point BAURU scores. Pre-SABG ANB can be used to predict the need for Le Fort I osteotomy at age 18.