Advisory Committee Chair
Nada Souccar
Advisory Committee Members
Christos Vlachos
Chung Kau
Peter Waite
Document Type
Thesis
Date of Award
2019
Degree Name by School
Master of Dentistry (MDent) School of Dentistry
Abstract
Objective: The main objective of this study is to determine if any difference in tooth size exists between the maxillary quadrants in non-syndromic patients with unilateral cleft palate using cone beam computed tomography. By understanding the effects of cleft palate on tooth morphology, the multidisciplinary team of specialists involved with the care and treatment of a patient with cleft lip/palate can better understand the intricacies of necessary therapy. This understanding can, in turn, be used for proper planning of desired treatments which can increase the chance of successful achievement of desired outcomes. Materials and Methods: CBCT volumes for 18 patients between ages 9 years, 10 months and 19 years, 4 months meeting inclusion/exclusion criteria were identified. CBCTs were selected from patients receiving orthodontic treatment at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and from a group of patients receiving surgical therapy in the private practice of oral and maxillofacial surgeon, Dr. Peter Waite. CBCTs were viewed and oriented for measurement purposes on the Carestream Dental viewing software. A total of 34 measurements were obtained on each subject by one of two examiners. Results: After strict comparison of all measures from the cleft vs. non-cleft side of included individuals, only central incisor (CI) root length and CI – dilaceration angle were found to be significantly different. Conclusions: After comparison of 34 total measures, CI – root length and CI – dilaceration angle were found to be significantly different between the affected and non-affected sides. For the selected sample, the average CI-dilaceration angle was 175.83 (SD=2.358, min, max=171, 180, median=176 (IQR=174-177)) for the cleft side of the dental arch. These findings can be significant in cases where incisor root resorption occurs with shorter than average initial root length. In addition, teeth with noteworthy root dilaceration can inhibit proper orthodontic alignment.
Recommended Citation
Boleware, Blake, "Dental Dimensions In Non-Syndromic Patients With Unilateral Cleft Palate" (2019). All ETDs from UAB. 1201.
https://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/etd-collection/1201