Evaluation of malocclusion in Japanese patients with unilateral CLP

Objectives: The Goslon Yardstick is regarded as a reliable means of evaluating malocclusion in patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate and has been used in retrospective comparative studies in European cleft centers in recent years. In this study, we applied the Goslon Yardstick to Japanese patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate to evaluate occlusion before orthodontic treatment. Methods: One hundred ninety-eight 6-12-year old Japanese patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate consulting the Department of Orthodontics, Tokyo Dental College, were chosen for this study. Patients were divided into a push-back group receiving one-stage palatoplasty (121 patients) and a Perko group receiving two-stage palatoplasty (77 patients). Three experienced orthodontists graded all 198 patients into 5 groups: group 1 (excellent), group 2 (good), group 3 (fair), group 4 (poor), group 5 (very poor). Results: The mean Goslon score in the push-back group was 3.83±0.88 (group 1: 3 paients, group 2: 14, group 3: 23, group 4: 65, group 5: 14). The mean Goslon score in the Perko group was3.45±0.94 (group 1: 1 patients, group 2: 15, group 3: 15, group 4: 40, group 5: 6). The Mann-Whitney U test revealed no significant difference between the two groups. Conclusion: The results of the present study suggest that the Goslon Yardstick is useful in the evaluation of malocclusion in Japanese patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate.