The Basis for Presurgical Orthopedic Treatment of Infants with Unilateral Complete Cleft Lip and Palate

Abstract

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe the posttreatment morphology of the upper part of the oral cavity of complete unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) patients and to compare it to noncleft contemporaries. Patients were treated according to a protocol designed to keep a proper resting posture of the oral cavity. Design: Retrospective study on dental casts. Setting: The study was performed at a maxillofacial center serving a population of 2 million inhabitants. Data for noncleft subjects are the result of a longitudinal study at the same institution. Patients: Twenty-one Caucasian UCLP patients (13 males, 8 females) aged 5 to 9 years with no other congenital anomalies and no postoperative orthodontic treatment. Interventions: Each patient received 5 to 6 months of preoperative orthopedics with a passive plate and external nonelastic strapping with definitive lip repair at age 5 to 7 months, soft palate repair at 11 to 15 months, and hard palate repair with mucoperiosteal closure...