Introduction: Disorders of maxilla growth is one of the principal problems in treatment of cleft lip and palate patients.

Objective: To measure palatal landmarks of the hard palate in patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate before and after palatoplasty from 5 months to 9 years of age.

Materials and methods: Thirty-four patients with cleft lip and palate were enrolled in this retrospective study. Analysis of development of the maxilla arch was performed from plaster casts at age 5 months, 1 year, 3 years and 9 years. The width, length and symmetry of the maxilla arch were assessed in the canine and molar regions.

Results: Mean anterior maxilla arch width in unilateral CLP patients was 30.96 mm at age 5 months, 29.35 mm at 1 year, and 27.75 mm at age 3 years. It increased up to 31.17 mm by age 9 years. Mean posterior width was 35.81 mm at age 5 months and it increased from 39.74 mm at year 3 to 41.50 mm at year 9. Differences in maxilla width changed significantly over time both in the anterior and posterior parts of the maxilla. Maxilla length on unaffected side was 28.99 mm, 29.44 mm, 30.97 mm and 40.75 mm, respectively.

Conclusions: Maxilla length growth was more intensive than width growth. Differences in maxilla width changed significantly over time both in the anterior and posterior parts of the maxilla. During the first 3 years the width of the anterior part of the maxilla decreased due to surgical interventions; growth of posterior part increased steadily.

Conflict of interest: None declared.