Assessing Angle's malocclusion among cleft lip and/or palate patients in Jammu

OBJECTIVE: The study was conducted to examine the patients with abnormalities of cleft lip and/or palate and its association with different types of malocclusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This descriptive study was done among 168 patients with abnormalities of cleft lip and/or palate. Angle's classification of malocclusion was applied for assessment of occlusion as Class I, Class II, and Class III. The types of oral clefts classification such as cleft lip unilateral and cleft lip bilateral, cleft palate (CP), unilateral cleft lip with palate (UCLP) and bilateral cleft lip with palate (BCLP) was considered. Chi-square test was applied to analyze the data at P < 0.05. RESULTS: The study showed different categories of clefts patients as cleft lip (81), CP (31), and both cleft lip and palate (53). The occurrence of unilateral cleft lip (44) was maximum among the sample followed by UCLP (39), and bilateral cleft lip (31). Maximum subjects with Class II (10.7%) and Class III (4.9%) malocclusion were seen with unilateral cleft lip deformities. None of the patients with UCLP had Class III malocclusion. CONCLUSION: Cleft lip was the most commonly observed deformity and high frequency of Class II and III malocclusion was evident. Therefore, patients with such abnormalities should be screened timely.