Eighteen-Year Follow-Up of 160 Consecutive Individuals Born With Unilateral Cleft Lip or Cleft Lip and Alveolus Treated by the Oslo Cleft Lip and Palate Team.

Objective: Describe patients born with unilateral cleft lip with or without cleft alveolus (CL +/- A) in relation to cleft severity and laterality, gender, associated anomalies and syndromes, number and type of lip- and nose operations, and time of alveolar bone graft (ABG) treatment in relation to dental status in cleft area. Materials and Methods: Patients included 220 children born with unilateral CL +/- A, born between 1988 and 1997 referred to the Oslo Cleft Lip and Palate Team. The data were collected retrospectively. All patients were followed up until 18 years of age. Results: Among all CL +/- A, 3.6% had recognized syndromes, 6.8% had associated anomalies, and in 89.6% CL +/- A was the only malformation. CL +/- A was more common, but not more severe, on the left side. Among the 160 individuals with CL +/- A without syndromes and associated anomalies, 66.9% had an isolated soft tissue CL, and 33.1% were diagnosed with a CL alveolus (CL+A). Male predominance was observed. Children with CL+A had more severe soft tissue clefts of the lip and underwent more lip and nose surgeries than children born with CL. The time of ABG was found to be at a younger age when the patient had a lateral incisor in the cleft area than when this tooth was missing. Conclusion: Findings provide a reference for morphologic variations in CL +/- A, and insight into the surgical burden of care until the age of 18 years.