Initial cleft size does not correlate with outcome in unilateral cleft lip and palate

Clinical outcomes in children born with a cleft lip and palate (CLP) have been an area of interest for orthodontists for a number of years. Whilst tools for measurement of these outcomes are available, there is no widely accepted measure of initial cleft severity and no known quantitative indices. Therefore, the potential influence of initial severity remains unmeasured and largely ignored. The aim of this investigation was to determine the importance of initial cleft severity in determining patient outcome. The longitudinal records of 49 children born with a unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP), and treated in a single centre were examined. An index of initial cleft severity was developed that categorizes the cleft area as a percentage of the total palate area. The dental arch relationships of the same patients at 6 years of age were also determined. The nature of the association between these was investigated for agreement and correlation by calculation of weighted Kappa and Spearman's correlation coefficient, respectively. No evidence was found in this sample that the initial cleft area had any bearing on the quality of outcome at 6 years of age.