Caries Experience in Individuals With Cleft Lip and/or Palate in China

Objective: To determine the levels of dental caries in subjects with cleft lip and/or palate in China in comparison with controls. Design: A total of 380 subjects with cleft lip and/or palate and 339 noncleft control subjects were examined for dental caries using the decayed-missing-filled-teeth (DMFT/dmft) and decayed-missing-filled-surfaces (DMFS/dmfs) index. A questionnaire was used to acquire subjects' living habits and family socioeconomic status. Setting: West China Stomatology Hospital, Sichuan University. Subjects: Individuals between 3 and 25 years of age. Results: Caries prevalence and scores for dmft/DMFT and dmfs/DMFS were significantly higher in subjects with cleft palates when compared with the noncleft control group (p<.05), except 3- to 5-year-old children (p>.05). However, in the 3- to 5-year-old group, children with cleft lip and/or palate had significantly more caries than children of the same age with only a cleft lip with or without alveolus (p<.05). Children whose clefts had been surgically repaired had a lower dmft and dmfs than those whose clefts had not been surgically repaired (p<.05). Conclusion: Individuals with oral cleft are at an increased risk for dental caries. The types of cleft and the surgical repair are two important factors for dental caries.