Skeletal Maturation in Patients With Cleft Lip and/or Palate: A Systematic Review

Assessment of Skeletal Maturation in Nonsyndromic Cleft and Non-cleft Children-A Comparative Study

The study aims to determine the difference in the skeletal maturation of unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) and non-cleft children. This study also attempts to determine sexual dimorphism in attaining skeletal maturation between UCLP and non-cleft children. This was a retrospective, cross-sectional study. The total sample consisted of the lateral cephalogram of 131 UCLP (62 female and 71 male) children and 500 (274 female and 226 male) non-cleft children. The reviewer used the Baccetti method (2005) to review all the cephalograms for the cervical vertebrae maturation (CVM) stages. T -test was used to compare the mean chronological age and skeletal maturation of cleft and non-cleft children at each CVM stage. There was no significant difference in the mean chronological age and skeletal maturation status of UCLP and non-cleft children. There was no significant difference in skeletal maturation based on sex. The intraobserver assessment showed 80% and 85% kappa agreement, signifying absolute agreement. The correlation coefficient between chronological age and CVMIs was 0.86 ( P <0.001) in cleft children and 0.76 ( P <0.001) in non-cleft children, which was highly significant. The study indicates no significant difference in the skeletal maturation of UCLP and non-cleft children and no sex-related difference.

Evidence Mapping and Quality Analysis of Systematic Reviews on Various Aspects Related to Cleft Lip and Palate

BACKGROUND

Management of cleft lip and palate is interdisciplinary. An evidence-mapping approach was envisaged to highlight the existing gaps in this field, using only the highest level of evidence.

OBJECTIVES

To conduct evidence mapping and quality analysis of systematic reviews and meta-analyses related to any aspect of cleft lip and palate.

SEARCH METHODS

The cleft lip and palate field was divided into 9 domains and 50 subdomains and a method of categorization of systematic reviews was established. A comprehensive search strategy was carried out in seven databases along with the search of gray literature and references of included articles.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Systematic reviews related to any aspect of cleft lip and palate, conducted by a minimum of two reviewers, with a comprehensive search strategy and adequate quality analysis were included.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

A self-designed, pre-piloted data-extraction sheet was used to collect information that was analyzed through an expert group discussion. Quality analysis was performed using ROBIS-I, AMSTAR 2, and the PRISMA checklist.

RESULTS

A total of 144 systematic reviews published between 2008 and 2022 were included. The largest number of these could be categorized in the therapeutic domain (n = 58). A total of 27% of the studies were categorized as inconclusive, 40% as partially conclusive, and 33% as conclusive. As per ROBIS-I, 77% of reviews had high risk of bias while 58% were graded as critically low in quality as per AMSTAR 2. The majority of systematic reviews showed low reporting errors.

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of systematic reviews related to cleft lip and palate relate to therapeutic and prognostic domains and show high risk of bias and critically low quality regardless of the source journal. The results of this paper might serve as a starting point encouraging authors to carry out high-quality research where evidence is lacking.

REGISTRATION

A multidisciplinary expert-group formulated an a priori protocol, registered in Open Science Framework (DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/NQDV2).

Customized Tray for Impression Taking in Children With Cleft Lip and Palate

The assessment of rehabilitation outcomes requires a patient documentation protocol, including records obtained at standardized ages, to compare different types of surgeries, their effects, as well as between different rehabilitation centers. The aim of this paper was to present proper trays for babies with different types of cleft lip and palate, which are used in the outpatient routine at Hospital of Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies/USP (HRAC/USP). The customized trays are made with self-curing acrylic resin. The tray must have suitable depth to copy the buccal sulcus, and wax is usually applied to contour the tray edge, and the adjustment of the tray to the fornix, making the tray specific for each child. The impression precludes the utilization of dental casts for diagnosis, treatment plan, and research measurements. In the clinical practice at HRAC-USP, it was observed that customized trays increased the quality of impression, accurately reproducing anatomical features of dental arches of babies with oral clefts.