Clefts of lip, jaw and palate influence local and general postnatal development greatly. It is generally known that there is a strong connection between the morphological characteristics of neuro- and viscerocranium. The aim of this survey was to analyze the interrelationships between the lengths of maxilla and mandible and the lengths of anterior, posterior and complete cranial base of the patients with complete clefts, compared to those of the patients with neutroocclussion, as well as to determine the correlations between them. Analysis of lateral radiocephalograms of 21 patients with complete clefts, mean age being 9.14 years, and of 24 patients with neutroocclusion, same age, were done. Measurements were conducted according to Schwartz, having taken in consideration the following parameters: lengths of anterior cranial base (Se-N), posterior cranial base (Se- Ba), complete cranial base (N-Ba), lengths of maxilla and mandible, along with the angular measurements of growth patterns (Y-axis). The data were statistically analyzed and compared. Results show that there is a significant correlation between the analyzed parameters that are significantly shorter in patients with clefts, as well as a statistically significant increase of the Y-axis angle in those patients, compared to those with neutroocclusion. The conclusion is that there are great difficulties in achieving the facial harmony and satisfying esthetic results, even though the contemporary and modern treatment methods are used. The cause for that may lie in the fact that the growth disturbances are present in deeper structures of neurocranium as well, and as such, far from our therapeutical reach. .
