Pharyngeal Airway Dimensions in Cleft Lip and Palate Patients Compared With Class I Subjects

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the pharyngeal airway dimensions of cleft lip and palate (CLP) and skeletal Class I patients. Materials and Method: The study was carried out in 91 subjects asking for orthodontic treatment in Ankara University, Turkey. The patients were selected from the archives of the Orthodontics Department. Forty-eight of the patients had CLP and 43 were skeletal Class I patients. Both control and CLP groups were divided into 3 subgroups according to the ages 7-11, 11-14, and 15 years and older. The number of subjects was matched in the same age groups. The pretreatment lateral cephalometric head films of the subjects were used in the study. Airway dimensions were evaluated with area measurements using planimeter. The airway was divided into 3 parts, and measurements were done on those areas. SNA, SNB, ANB, and GoGnSN angles were measured in all cephalograms by the same examiner. The values were compared within the same age group in both the CLP and control groups. Results: For statistical analysis, variance analysis was used. For control and cleft groups, there were no statistically significant differences in pharyngeal airway and skeletal measurements. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that CLP patients have similar airway area measurements with normal Class I subjects, which might be attributed to adaptation in the pharyngeal area of CLP patients.