Abstract

Cleft lip and palate (CLP) is one of the most common congenital craniofacial anomalies, which can change the morphology of the skull, face, and maxillary sinus due to the disruption in the fusion of palatal shelves. This study aimed to investigate the volume and dimensions of the maxillary sinus in unilateral CLP patients along with comparing the healthy and affected sides. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 27 cone-beam computed tomography stereotypes (14 male and 13 female) of patients with unilateral CLP. Maxillary sinuses were traced separately on each side and analyzed by OnDemand3D software in a separate room with low light. The height and base area of the maxillary sinuses were measured on each side. After dividing each sinus into smaller pyramids, the volume of the sinus was obtained using the partial frustum model method and analyzed by paired t test. There was no significant difference between cleft and noncleft sides in terms of mean volume and height of the sinus (P > 0.05). The average area of the sinus base on the cleft side was 32.77 mm2 more than the noncleft side, and this difference was statistically significant (P = 0.027). The mean upper maxillary sinus volume on the cleft side was 541.62 mm3 larger than the noncleft side, but this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.075). Considering the age groups, the average upper sinus volume on the cleft side in patients under 20 years old was 4.66 mm3 less than the noncleft side. In the age group of more than 20 years, the average volume of the upper sinus on the cleft side was 978.66 mm3 more than the noncleft side. The mean volume of the lower sinus on the cleft side was 505.92 mm3 lower than the noncleft side, and this difference was statistically significant (P = 0.010). The average area of the sinus base of the cleft side was significantly higher than the noncleft side. Also, the lower sinus volume of the cleft side was significantly lower than the noncleft side. However, no significant difference was observed in upper sinus volume between the cleft and noncleft sides.