A multicenter retrospective 3D study of cleft lip and palate casts to evaluate dental shape, size, and anomalies in eruption around the cleft area before fixed orthodontic treatment.

The aim of this study was to evaluate tooth crown size in patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP), right cleft lip and palate (RCLP), and left cleft lip and palate (LCLP) subtypes and compare them between each other and between class I control group. A total of 110 patients, 55 patients' records with CLP (28 male, 27 female) and the same number of 55 patients' records with class I (27 male, 28 female) as control group, have been included. All plaster models were scanned with dental scanner and then analyzed using digital program to measure tooth size. When comparing right and left side of LCLP group, mesio-distal (MD) and labio-lingual (LL) dimensions of the centrals have the significant difference, where the largest dimensions were the right centrals (p < 0.05). When comparing right and left side of RCLP group, labio-lingual (LL) dimensions of the canines have the significant difference, where the largest dimensions were the right canines (p < 0.05). In class I group, there were no significant differences between right and left sides. There was a significant mean difference in Centrals MD, Centrals LL, and Canines LL (p < 0.05) between all groups when comparing the right sides and left sides alone, where class I group has the largest mean between all groups. Cleft lip and palate patients were noticed to have significant dental anomalies that affect the number, shape, and size of the teeth. These anomalies can impair function and affect the psychology of the patients. Therefore, a dental analysis focusing on restoring the esthetics as much as function should be considered when treating these patients. Dental materials with nanoparticles ranged from 1 to 100 nm showed to have better integration with dental tissues and the future of nanotechnology is very exciting in dental practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]