Gingival recession in maxillary canines and central incisors of individuals with clefts

Abstract

Background: Mucogingival alterations are inherent to clefts and may be worsened by the several plastic surgeries required in these individuals.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence, severity, and some possible etiologic factors of gingival recessions in teeth adjacent to the cleft.

Study design: A total of 641 teeth (maxillary canines and central incisors) of 193 individuals with cleft lip and/or palate were examined. A generalized linear model was used, and the Wilcoxon test was used to compare the recession with cleft types.

Results: Comparison among cleft types as to the presence of recession revealed a statistically significant positive relationship for the maxillary right and left central incisors only in the group with left cleft lip, alveolus, and palate (P = .034). The most frequently affected tooth was the right maxillary canine (26.16%).

Conclusion: The prevalence of recession in teeth close to the cleft was higher, although it was not very severe.