The Influence of Orthodontic Treatment on the Goslon Score of Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Patients

• Published in: The Cleft palate-craniofacial journal Vol. 49; no. 2; pp. 215 - 220
• Main Authors: Southall, Peter, Walters, Mark, Singer, Steven
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.03.2012; American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Child; Cleft Lip - rehabilitation; Cleft Lip - surgery; Cleft Palate - rehabilitation; Cleft Palate - surgery; Deformities; Dentistry; Facial bones, jaws, teeth, parodontium: diseases, semeiology; Female; Humans; Male; Malocclusion - rehabilitation; Medical sciences; Medical treatment; Non tumoral diseases; Orthodontics; Orthodontics, Corrective; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Retrospective Studies; Studies; Treatment Outcome; orthodontic treatment; Goslon Yardstick; cleft outcomes; longitudinal cleft audit; Human; Cleft palate; Cleft lip; Prognosis; Stomatology; Congenital cleft; Congenital disease; Audit; Orthodontic procedures; Treatment; Malformation; Unilateral; Oral cavity disease
• ISSN: 1055-6656; 1545-1569
• DOI: 10.1597/10-096

Objective To assess the effect of orthodontic treatment on Goslon Yardstick outcome. Design Retrospective study. Patients A series of 66 consecutive patients born with a complete unilateral left lip and palate. Patients were sorted into a nontreatment group (n = 47) and a treatment group (n = 19). Method Three assessors trained in the use of the Goslon Yardstick ranked the dental arch relationships of study casts taken at 6 and 9 years. Results There was only a fair agreement (κ = .33) between 6- and 9-year Goslon Yardstick scores for the cohort of 66 patients, with a significant (p < .05) difference in the mean score at 6 years (3.17 ± 0.8) and at 9 years (2.88 ± 1.0). Removal of 19 subjects who had orthodontic inventions prior to taking of the 9-year-old study cast improved the agreement to moderate (κ = .52). There was no significant difference (p > .05) in mean scores at 6 and 9 years (3.13 ± 0.9 and 3.17 ± 1.03, respectively). The treatment group exhibited significant differences (p < .001) with mean Goslon Yardstick scores of 3.0 ± 0.9 at 6 and 2.25 ± 0.45 at 9 years. Conclusions The inclusion of patients who had received orthodontic treatment prior to taking of study casts being used for Goslon Yardstick scoring can result in a more favorable outcome. Patients who have received active orthodontic treatment prior to taking of dental casts should be excluded or accounted for in audits to assess primary cleft surgical outcome in patients with a unilateral cleft lip and palate.