Evaluation of tipping and inclination of teeth in young adults with complete bilateral cleft lip and palate

Andréia Caixeta REIS, Leopoldino CAPELOZZA FILHO, Terumi Okada OZAWA, Arlete de Oliveira CAVASSAN

The aim of this study was to evaluate and measure the tooth positioning (tipping and inclination) in patients with complete bilateral cleft lip and palate in an attempt to establish the features common to these patients. For that purpose, thirty pairs of dental casts were randomly selected from the files of the Hospital of Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies. The dental casts had been obtained from treated patients with this type of cleft in the permanent dentition, aged 12 to 27 years. The casts were prepared and the measurements were performed based on the method suggested by Andrews1. The results achieved were the following: 1. Tipping – in the maxillary arch, positive values (positive tipping) with a progressively increasing tendency were observed from the molars to the canines, and negative values for the incisors (counter-tipping). As regards the mandibular arch, decreasing positive values were found from the molars to the premolars and negative values were observed for the entire anterior region; 2. Inclination – negative values, corresponding to palatal or lingual inclination, were found for all teeth in the sample. It was concluded that the maxillary canines and incisors were the teeth most affected by the presence of the cleft; the mandibular arch kept more uniform values due to the middle influence from the cleft; the negative inclinations observed for the entire mandibular arch and the frequent anterior crowding suggest adaptation of the mandibular arch to compensate the maxillary atresia.

Keywords: Orthodontics. Orthodontic brackets. Cleft lip and palate.

Sunday, April 28, 2024 16:55