Comparative Analysis of Maxillary Sinus Volume in Patients With Cleft Lip and Palate Versus Class III Malocclusion Patients Using CBCT

TL;DR

This study found that cleft lip and palate patients have smaller maxillary sinus volume on the cleft side compared to the non-cleft side, but not significantly different from Class III malocclusion patients.

Contribution

The study introduces a comparative analysis of maxillary sinus volume in CLP and Class III malocclusion patients using CBCT, revealing asymmetry in CLP patients.

Findings

No significant difference in average maxillary sinus volume between CLP and Class III malocclusion groups.

CLP patients had significantly smaller maxillary sinus volume on the cleft side compared to the non-cleft side.

No gender differences in maxillary sinus volume were observed in either group.

Abstract

This study compared maxillary sinus volume (MSV) in patients with unilateral non‐syndromic cleft lip and palate (CLP) to a skeletally matched control group with a skeletal class III pattern (group CTR) using cone‐beam computed tomography (CBCT) images.

Ninety CBCT images were evaluated, including 45 patients with unilateral CLP (group CLP, mean age 24.3 ± 6.1) and 45 patients with Class III malocclusion (group CTR, mean age 25.3 ± 5.9). Both groups were skeletally matched based on SNA, SNB, ANB, GoGn‐SN angles and Wits appraisal values. MSV was measured using ITK‐SNAP software. The Kolmogorov–Smirnov test confirmed normal data distribution. Intergroup comparisons of average MSV, MSV stratified per side, cephalometric parameters and gender differences were performed using Student's t‐test. Intragroup comparisons (cleft vs. non‐cleft side, right vs. left side) were conducted using a paired t‐test. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.

No statistically significant differences in average MSV were found between the CLP group (7589.74 ± 4060.23 mm3) and the CTR group (7901.90 ± 3667.69 mm3) (p = 0.59). However, within the CLP group, the MSV on the cleft side (6870.53 ± 3695.29 mm3) was significantly smaller than on the non‐cleft side (8308.96 ± 4316.53 mm3) (p < 0.05). No significant gender differences regarding MSV values were found (p > 0.05).

Unilateral cleft lip and palate resulted in a significantly smaller MSV on the cleft side in CLP patients. However, the average MSV of CLP patients was not significantly reduced compared to non‐cleft patients with a skeletal Class III pattern.

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