Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of enamel alterations affecting the deciduous and permanent central maxillary incisors of children with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate and to verify their characteristics.Design: Cross-sectional.
Setting: Hospital for Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies–University of São Paulo, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil.
Patients: A sample of 90 patients attending the Hospital for Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies, presenting with complete cleft lip and palate, of both genders, ages 2 to 11 years old.
Methodology: The buccal surfaces of the maxillary central incisors of patients were analyzed for observation of the presence of enamel defects, their type, number, and location. The prevalence of defects was compared between deciduous and permanent teeth and between the incisors at the cleft and noncleft sides.
Results: There was a higher frequency of defects among incisors on the cleft side for both deciduous and permanent dentitions compared with the noncleft side (p < .05); the permanent central incisor was more frequently affected than the deciduous. Evaluation of the types of defects for both incisors in both dentitions demonstrated a homogeneous distribution, except for a lower proportion of yellow opacity in the permanent dentition on the cleft side. In general, the most affected area in all dentitions was the incisal third.
Conclusion: The prevalence of enamel alterations affecting incisors adjacent to the cleft was higher than for incisors on the noncleft side. This difference also was present in the permanent dentition.
