Nonsyndromic cleft lip and/or palate: A multicenter study of the dental anomalies involved

BACKGROUND: Nonsyndromic cleft lip and/or palate (NSCL/P) is the most common craniofacial malformation. Due to the anatomical defect present in the alveolar process, these patients tend to exhibit more dental anomalies. The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence of dental anomalies in patients with NSCL/P by obtaining orthodontic documentation from Brazilian Centers for cleft lip and palate treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis (2000-2014) was conducted on orthodontic archives, radiographs and medical records of NSCL/P of 524 patients under orthodontic treatment. Panoramic radiographs and intra-oral photographs were examined to identify these anomalies. Categorical variables were expressed in terms of frequencies and percentages and analyzed using the Chi-Square test. The level of significance was set at p≤0.05 in all analyses. RESULTS: Approximately 83.3% of the individuals had at least one dental anomaly. Tooth agenesis was the most common abnormality found in those patients (87.8%) (p<0.001). Also, the largest number of dental anomalies was detected in the group of unilateral left clefts. The prevalence of dental anomalies in the present sample of NSCL/P patients was high and reached the highest levels in patients with alveolar bone clefts. CONCLUSIONS: This study describes the most common dental anomalies observed in patients with NSCL/P. These abnormalities can cause significant problems that may be solved or minimized by early diagnosis and treatment. Key words:Cleft lip and/or palate, dental care for children, epidemiology, craniofacial abnormalities.