Evaluation of dental age in individuals of different ages with unilateral cleft lip and palate

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the dental age of unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) patients aged 7-12 and 12-16 years using Demirjian's method and to compare these results with a control group. Methods: We evaluated the panoramic radiographs of 54 individuals with UCLP and 54 age- and gender-matched individuals without UCLP (control). The UCLP and control groups were divided into two groups: 7-12 and 12-16 years of age. Their dental ages were determined using Demirjian's method. Dental ages of the cleft side and noncleft side were assessed separately and were also compared with those of the control group to assess potential asymmetric dental developments in the UCLP group. Results: The chronological age was lower than the dental ages on both right and left sides in the control group (p<0.01). When age groups were evaluated separately, it was found that the chronological age was lower than the dental age in 7-12 year old individuals in the UCLP group (p<0.05), whereas it was less than the left and right dental ages in 7-12 (p<0.01) and 12-16 year old individuals (p<0.05) in the control group. Conclusion: We detected no differences in dental age between UCLP patients and healthy controls, and lack of asymmetrical dental development in the mandibular teeth of either group. However, based on assessments performed using Demirjian's method, subjects' dental and chronological ages were incompatible.