Comparison of the relationship between the chronological age, dental age and skeletal age in patients with cleft lip and palate, class I and class III anomalies

Objective: The aim of this study is to compare the relationship between the chronological age, dental age and skeletal age in patients with cleft lip and palate, Class I and Class III anomalies. Method: The study included 308 patients (CLP: 102, Class I: 102, Class III: 104) aged between 6 and 18 years. 64 had unilateral total cleft lip and palate, 26 had bilateral total cleft lip and palate and 12 had isolated cleft palate of the patients in cleft lip and palate group. According to skeletal maturation, the patients were divided into three periods: prepubertal, pubertal and postpubertal. The Demirjian method was used to evaluate the dental age and the Lamparski method was used to evaluate the skeletal maturation. The relationship between these three age types and the cephalometric parameters was investigated. Results: There was a significant positive correlation between the chronological age, dental age and skeletal age in all groups (p<0.001). When three groups were compared, the chronological age of cleft lip and palate group in prepubertal period was significantly lower than other groups (p<0.001). There was no significant difference between groups in chronological age in pubertal and postpubertal period (p>0.05). Dental age was significantly lower in cleft lip and palate group in prepubertal (p<0.001), pubertal and postpubertal periods (p<0.05) than other groups. There was no significant difference in dental maturation between cleft types (p>0.05). Conclusion: In all development periods in patients with cleft lip and palate, dental age was significantly smaller than patients with Class I and Class III anomalies and should be taken into consideration during orthodontic treatment. There was no significant difference in dental maturation between cleft types.