Comparison of Facial Growth Between Two Nasoalveolar Molding Techniques in Unilateral Complete Cleft Lip Patients: A Randomized, Prospective, Single-blind Trial.

Abstract

Nasoalveolar molding (NAM) has become standard treatment in our Craniofacial Center. Two types of pre-surgical NAM, Grayson technique and Figueroa technique, co-exist. We previously found no differences in number of clinic visits, cost and 6 months post-operative outcome between the two techniques. Since Figueroa's method involves passive, whilst Grayson's method involves active, alveolar molding, we extended the previous study to evaluate facial growth between these two groups. This randomized, prospective, single-blind study, conducted between May 2010 and March 2013, recruited 30 patients with unilateral complete cleft lip and palate patients and randomized them for Grayson or Figueroa pre-surgical NAM. Their standard lateral cephalometric measurements at 5 years were used to determine facial growth. Twenty-nine patients completed 5 years of follow-up. There were no statistical differences in facial cephalometric measurements between the two groups. Pre-surgical NAM using either passive or active NAM technique produced similar facial growth patterns after unilateral cleft lip and palate repair.