Bilateral Cleft Lip And Palate Research Articles

A Retrospective Review on the Effects of Nasoalveolar Molding on Infant Weight Gain and Time to Primary Lip Repair in Unilateral and Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate.

In patients with severe cleft deformities, nasoalveolar molding (NAM) can improve long-term lip and nasal symmetry by reducing the size of the cleft, better aligning the alveolus, lip, and nose, and making the primary lip repair more predictable. Despite the increasing number of published studies on modified NAM techniques, the effects of NAM on weight gain and time to primary lip repair remain less studied. This study aims to evaluate the effect of NAM on feeding, weight gain, growth velocity, and time to primary lip repair in patients with complete unilateral and bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP). A retrospective, single-institution review was conducted to identify patients with complete unilateral and BCLP treated between January 2005 and June 2020. The following outcomes were measured: age at the time of lip and palate repairs; weight, height, and BMI on the date of lip repair; and growth velocity. Crude and standardized morbidity ratio-weighted differences in outcome means and 95% confidence intervals were estimated using t tests. Seventy-one patients were included in the study, 30 of whom underwent NAM. On average, patients treated with preoperative NAM underwent lip repair later than patients who were not treated with NAM. They also had a greater growth velocity and BMI when compared to their non-NAM counterparts. These differences, however, were not statistically significant. This study explores the relationships between the use of NAM and preoperative weight gain, as well as time to lip repair in patients with complete unilateral and BCLP. Additional studies may be needed to better elucidate the effect of NAM on weight gain and the time required for surgical repair of the cleft lip and palate.

Changes in the upper airway and its surrounding structures after bimaxillary surgery in patients with cleft-related Class III deformity.

To compare upper airway changes following bimaxillary surgery for correction of Class III deformity between patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) and bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) and to compare the preoperative and postoperative upper airway among patients with UCLP and BCLP to healthy controls. Sixty adults with CLP-related skeletal Class III deformity (30 UCLP and 30 BCLP) who consecutively underwent bimaxillary surgery were studied retrospectively. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) was performed before and after surgery to measure upper airway and movements of facial skeletal and surrounding structures. CBCT images from 30 noncleft skeletal Class I adults, matched by age, gender, and body mass index and without surgical intervention, served as controls. After surgery, the volume of the nasopharynx increased in patients with CLP (both P < .001). Patients with CLP did not differ from controls in postoperative volume of the nasopharynx or oropharynx. However, the nasal cavity differed significantly between patients with CLP and controls (P < .001). After bimaxillary surgery, the nasal cavity of patients with CLP differed significantly compared with the controls. Volumes of the nasopharynx and oropharynx did not differ between patients with CLP after surgery and controls.

Orthognathic Considerations of Maxillary and Mandibular Asymmetry at Skeletal Maturity in Patients with Cleft Lip and Palate.

Improving occlusion and aesthetics is the primary objective of orthognathic surgery for patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP). However, these patients often suffer from horizontal, vertical, and rotational asymmetry in addition to maxillary retrusion. This study aims to describe maxillary and mandibular asymmetry in patients with CLP undergoing orthognathic surgery and analyze its anatomic basis. Patients with isolated CLP undergoing CT imaging prior to orthognathic surgery were retrospectively reviewed. Maxillary and mandibular positioning and dimensional symmetry were evaluated. Incidence of clinically significant asymmetry, correlations between areas of asymmetry, and associations with clinical history were analyzed. Fifty-eight patients, with mean age 17 years were analyzed, including 32 patients with unilateral CLP and 26 with bilateral CLP. Twenty (34%) patients demonstrated chin deviation ≥4mm and 21 (36%) had a ≥5% discrepancy in mandibular ramus lengths. Horizontal occlusal plane cant of ≥2° was seen in 20 (34%) maxillae and 28 (48%) mandibles, with dental arch yaw ≥2° noted in 32 (55%) of both maxillae and mandibles. Chin deviation correlated with maxillary cant, discrepancy in ramus length, discrepancy in mandibular body length, and discrepancy in condylar volume (p<0.05). Bilateral and unilateral CLP did not show significantly different asymmetry on any measure (p>0.05). Both maxillary and mandibular asymmetry is common in skeletally mature patients with CLP and frequently results in notable chin deviation. Preoperative three-dimensional imaging and virtual surgical planning of orthognathic surgery aid in recognition of facial asymmetries and reveal opportunities to optimize results in this population.

Adaptable cascaded registration for personalized maxilla completion and cleft defect volume estimation.

Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images provide high-resolution insights into the underlying craniofacial anomaly in patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP), requiring non-negligible annotation costs to measure the cleft defect for the guidance of the clinical secondary alveolar bone graft procedures. Considering the cumbersome volumetric image acquisition, there is a lack of paired CLP CBCTs and normal CBCTs for learning-based anatomical structure restoration models. Nowadays, the registration-based method relieves the annotation burden, though one-shot registration and the regular mask are limited to handling fine-grained shape variations and harmony between restored bony tissues and the defectedmaxilla. This study aimed to design and evaluate a novel method for deformable partial registration of the CLP CBCTs and normal CBCTs, enabling personalized maxilla completion and cleft defect volume prediction from CLPCBCTs. We proposed an adaptable deep registration framework for personalized maxilla completion and cleft defect volume prediction from CLP CBCTs. The key ingredient was a cascaded partial registration to exploit the maxillary morphology prior and attribute transfer. Cascaded registration with coarse-to-fine registration fields handled morphological variations of cleft defects and fine-grained maxillary restoration. We designed an adaptable cleft defect mask and volumetric Boolean operators for reliable voxel filling of the defected maxilla. A total of 36 clinically obtained CLP CBCTs were used to train and validate the proposed model, among which 22 CLP CBCTs were used to generate a training dataset with 440 synthetic CBCTs by B-spline deformation-based data augmentation and the remaining for testing. The proposed model was evaluated on maxilla completion and cleft defect volume prediction from clinically obtained unilateral and bilateral CLPCBCTs. Extensive experiments demonstrated the effectiveness of the adaptable cleft defect mask and the cascaded partial registration on maxilla completion and cleft defect volume prediction. The proposed method achieved state-of-the-art performances with the Dice similarity coefficient of 0.90 0.02 on the restored maxilla and 0.84 0.04 on the estimated cleft defect, respectively. The average Hausdorff distance between the estimated cleft defect and the manually annotated ground truth was 0.30 0.08 mm. The relative volume error of the cleft defect was 0.08. The proposed model allowed for the prediction of cleft defect maps that were in line with the ground truth in the challenging unilateral and bilateral CLP CBCTs. The results suggest that the proposed adaptable deep registration model enables patient-specific maxilla completion and automatic annotation of cleft defects, relieving tedious voxel-wise annotation and image acquisitionburdens.

Elastic Chain Premaxillary Retraction Appliance Does Not Increase Inter-Canthal Dimension in Patients with Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate.

To determine if the elastic chain premaxillary retraction (ECPR) appliance increases inter-medial and inter-lateral canthal dimension in patients with bilateral complete cleft lip and palate (BCLP). Retrospective cohort study. Specialized tertiary care facility. 126 patients with BCLP; 75 had ECPR, 51 had no pre-surgical manipulation. Three-dimensional facial photographs were obtained prior to insertion of appliance (T0), post-appliance therapy prior to appliance removal/labial repair (T1), and several months after labial repair (T2) for a longitudinal ECPR group, and were obtained after age 4 years (T3) for a non-longitudinal ECPR group and for the non-ECPR group. Inter-medial and inter-lateral canthal dimension (en-en, ex-ex) was determined for all groups/time-points. Measurements were compared between groups and to norms. The mean en-en and ex-ex was 32.6 ± 3.2 mm and 84.4 ± 6.3 mm for the ECPR group and 33.5 ± 3.1 mm and 86.7 ± 7.2 mm for the non-ECPR group at T3. Inter-medial and inter-lateral canthal dimensions were significantly greater than normal (P < .05) in both groups; there was no significant difference between groups (P > .05). The mean en-en and ex-ex for the Longitudinal ECPR group was 27.5 ± 2.4 mm and 66.7 ± 3.7 mm at T0, 29.6 ± 2.4 mm and 70.4 ± 2.9 mm at T1, and 29.2 ± 2.3 mm and 72.3 ± 3.8 mm at T2. en-en and ex-ex increased significantly from T0-T1 (P < .05), decreased at T2 (P > .05) and was significantly larger than normal at all time-points (P < .05). Inter-medial and inter-lateral canthal dimension increased after ECPR but returned to baseline growth trajectory. These dimensions were above normal at all time-points. There was no difference between those that did and did not have dentofacial orthopedic manipulation.

A Single Institution 19 Year Comparison of Furlow and Straight Line Palatoplasty Techniques in Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate.

This study aims to compare patients' speech correcting surgery and fistula rates between the Furlow and Straight Line (SLR) palatoplasty techniques when combined with greater palatine flaps for complete bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) repair. This was a single-center IRB approved retrospective cohort study. This study took place at an urban tertiary academic center. All patients with BCLP anomalies that underwent repair between January 2003 and August 2022 were included. Patients with index operations at an outside institution or incomplete medical charting were excluded. A total of 1552 patients underwent palatoplasty during the study period. Of these, 192 (12.4%) met inclusion criteria with a diagnosis of BCLP. Primary outcomes of this study included rate of fistula and incidence of speech correcting surgery. Secondary outcomes included rate of surgical fistula repair. One hundred patients underwent SLR (52.1%) and 92 Furlow repair (47.9%). There was no significant difference in fistula rates between the SLR and Furlow repair cohorts (20.7% vs. 15.0%; p = 0.403). However, SLR was associated with lower rates of speech correcting surgery when compared to the Furlow repair (12.5% vs. 29.6%; p = 0.011). This study compares the effect of Furlow and SLR on speech outcomes and fistula rates in patients with BCLP. Our findings suggest that SLR resulted in an almost three times lower rate of velopharyngeal dysfunction requiring surgical intervention in patients with BCLP, while fistula rates remained similar.

Facial Analysis of Patients with Unilateral or Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Using 3D Stereophotogrammetry.

To evaluate the quantitative values of linear and angular facial anthropometrics in patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) and compare them with those of patients with bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) using three-dimensional (3D) facial imaging. Retrospective, observational, and cross-sectional study. Hospital for Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies/USP (HRAC/USP). In total, 61 non-syndromic patients with CLP who underwent multidisciplinary treatment and rehabilitated with a prosthesis were enrolled and divided into those with UCLP (G1; n = 31) and those with BCLP (G2; n = 30). Facial images were captured using a 3D camera after landmarks were marked on each patient's face. The software evaluated linear and angular parameters. Statistical tests were applied. Significance was determined as P < 0.05. Overall, 22 linear and 13 angular measurements were evaluated. The nasal length (P = 0.08), middle third of the face (P = 0.06), base nose width (P < 0.001), nasal root width (P < 0.001), nasal tip angle (P = 0.018), philtrum width (P < 0.001), lower face width (P = 0.039) and midfacial depth (P = 0.040) were significantly higher in G2; the upper cutaneous lip height was significantly higher in G1. Sexual dimorphism was observed except for linear measurements (linear distance between the labiale superius and labiale inferius landmarks, nasal root width, and upper cutaneous lip length) and angular measurements. G2 had a greater length and width of nose and nasal root, nasal tip angle, philtrum width, and lower face width, midfacial depth, and midface third than G1. These findings also revealed the presence of sexual dimorphism.

A Comparative Analysis of Skeletal and Dental Parameters in Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate vs. Non-bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Patients in the Central Indian Population: A NemoCeph Study.

Introduction Orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning encounter distinctive complexities when dealing with cleft lip and palate anomalies. This research endeavors to thoroughly examine skeletal and dental characteristics through cephalometric analyses among individuals with bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) within the central Indian population. Due to anatomical variations and growth constraints, traditional cephalometric mean values derived from standard population studies are often inadequate for these cases. Advanced technology, such as NemoCeph (Nemotech, Madrid, Spain) software, enhances measurement accuracy. Methods Fifty patients, including 25 with BCLP and 25 without BCLP, aged 10 to 18, were selected for this cross-sectional study. Lateral cephalograms were traced and analyzed using NemoCeph software. Skeletal and dental parameters were measured, and a comparison was made between BCLP patients and the general population. Statistical analysis was conducted using the Student's unpaired t-test. Both SPSS Statistics Version 24.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA) and GraphPad Prism Version 7.0 (GraphPad Software, San Diego, CA, USA) were used for data analysis. Results The investigation revealed significant disparities across several parameters, including sella-nasion-A point angle (SNA), sella-nasion-B point angle (SNB), A point-nasion-B point angle (ANB), the inter-incisal angle (the angle between the long axes of the upper and lower incisors), and UP 1 to A-pog (a specific vertical measurement between anatomical markers labeled "upper 1" and "A point to pogonion"), with associated p-values for the skeletal and dental parameters of 0.310, 0.259, 0.195, 0.0001, and 0.0001, respectively. A comparison between manual tracing and digital methods indicated a reduction in errors and an improvement in measurement precision. Notably, patients diagnosed with BCLP exhibited distinctive skeletal and dental traits, highlighting the necessity for tailored treatment approaches. Conclusion This study emphasizes the importance of personalized cephalometric evaluations for patients with BCLP. Standard mean values may not be applicable due to unique anatomical considerations in these cases. Advanced technology and patient-specific assessments are crucial for accurate diagnosis, treatment planning, and orthognathic procedures in individuals with cleft lip and palate conditions. Embracing digital tools and tailored approaches can enhance patient care quality and lead to better clinical outcomes.

Speech Outcomes in 5-Year-Old Korean Children with Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate.

Background Among the cleft types, bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) generally requires multiple surgical procedures and extended speech therapy to achieve normal speech development. This study aimed to describe speech outcomes in 5-year-old Korean children with BCLP and examine whether normal speech could be achieved before starting school. Methods The retrospective study analyzed 52 children with complete BCLP who underwent primary palatal surgery at a tertiary medical center. Three speech-language pathologists made perceptual judgments on recordings from a speech follow-up assessment of 5-year-old children. They assessed the children's speech in terms of articulation, speech intelligibility, resonance, and voice using the Cleft Audit Protocol for Speech-Augmented-Korean Modification. Results The results indicated that at the age of five, 65 to 70% of children with BCLP presented articulation and resonance within normal or acceptable ranges. Further, seven children with BCLP (13.5%) needed both additional speech therapy and palatal surgery for persistent velopharyngeal insufficiency and speech problems even at the age of five. Conclusion This study confirmed that routine follow-up speech assessments are essential as a substantial number of children with BCLP require secondary surgical procedures and extended speech therapy to achieve normal speech development.

Prospective study of nasal growth in bilateral cleft lip and palate patients after naso-alveolar moulding and primary columella lengthening compared to controls at 5, 10 and 20 years.

A short columella, wide nostrils and a flat nasal tip are common features in patients with bilateral complete cleft lip and palate (BCLP). The objective of this study was to evaluate nasal morphology during growth in patients treated with naso-alveolar moulding (NAM) and primary surgical columella lengthening (PCL) compared with matched non-cleft individuals. Prospective longitudinal case-control study. Thirty-four consecutively treated BCLP patients at 5 and 10 years and at the end of growth (19.7 ± 2.0 years) were compared through normalized photogrammetry to a control of 34 age and sex-matched non-cleft individuals. Regression Models for Panel Data assessed how nasal measurements were influenced by surgery, age and gender. Nasal protrusion was equal to non-cleft controls at all ages. Length of the columella was also comparable to controls at 5 and 10 years, but significantly shorter at the end of growth. Inter-alar and nasal tip width and nasolabial angle were significantly wider than controls at all ages: More than 60% of the patients have asked for correction of the nasal width, but no early surgery for columella lengthening was needed. NAM and PCL have provided a nasal projection close to that of non-cleft individuals until adulthood, while length of the columella was physiological at 5 and 10, but shorter than controls at age 20. Width of the nasal tip and width of the alar bases were significantly wider than the controls and eventually required secondary nasal width correction in over two thirds of the sample.

Enhanced antimicrobial efficacy of chlorhexidine-encapsulated halloysite nanotubes incorporated in presurgical orthopedic appliances: an in vitro, controlled study.

Presurgical infant's orthopedic appliances (PSIOs) play an increasingly crucial role in the interdisciplinary management of neonatal CLP, aiming to improve and maintain adequate nasolabial aesthetics, followed by primary lip/nasal surgery in both unilateral and bilateral CLP cases. The use of PSIOs in cleft lip and palate patients can lead to contamination with oral microflora, acting as a potential reservoir for infectious microorganisms. Acrylic surfaces might provide retention niches for microorganisms to adhere, and inhabit, which is difficult to control in immunocompromised patients, thus predisposing them to increased infection risks. The objective of this multi-assay in vitro study was to investigate the effects of incorporating chlorhexidine-loaded halloysite nanotubes (CHX-HNTs) fillers on the morphological, cytotoxic, release, and antimicrobial characteristics of self-cured acrylic polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) material used in pre-surgical orthopedic appliances. Disk-shaped PMMA specimens were prepared with varying proportions of CHX-HNTs. A control group without any addition served as a reference, and four experimental samples contained a range of different concentrations of CHX-HNTs (1.0, 1.5, 3, and 4.5 wt%). The antimicrobial efficacy was assessed using an agar diffusion test against common reference microorganisms: Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Streptococcus agalactiae. Cytotoxicity was examined using the L929 cell line (mouse fibroblasts) through a (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide, MTT) cell viability assay. The release kinetics of CHX were monitored using UV-spectral measurements. The statistical analysis used a one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post hoc test. The integration of CHX-HNTs in PMMA exhibited a substantial dose-dependent antifungal and antibacterial effect against microorganisms at tested mass fractions (1.0 to 4.5 wt%). CHX release was sustained for up to 60 days, supporting prolonged antimicrobial activity. Furthermore, no significant cytotoxicity was determined in the L929 fibroblast cell line (control), indicating the biocompatibility of the CHX-HNTs-enhanced PMMA. Incorporating CHX-HNTs in PMMA successfully enhanced its antimicrobial properties, providing sustained CHX release and superior antimicrobial efficacy. These findings demonstrate the potential of antimicrobial nanoparticles in dental therapies to improve therapeutic outcomes. However, rigorous further clinical trials and observational studies are warranted to validate the practical application, safety, and efficacy. This study has the potential to make a major impact on the health of infants born with cleft lip and palate by helping to reduce the prevalence of infectious illnesses. The incorporation of CHX-HNTs into PMMA-based appliances is a novel promising preventive approach to reduce microbial infections.

Evaluating Dental Arch Relationships in Indonesian Patients with Operated Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Using Modified Huddart/Bodenham Index and Bauru-bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) Yardstick.

Patients with complete bilateral cleft lip and palate (CBCLP) have the most complex orofacial abnormalities despite its lowest incidence among cleft lip and palate (CLP) types. Impaired maxillary growth can result from surgical procedures in patients with CBCLP. This study evaluates dental arch relationships in Indonesian patients with CBCLP after undergoing CLP repair at Harapan Kita Children and Mother Hospital in Jakarta. Using the modified Huddart and Bodenham (MHB) index and Bauru bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) yardstick, three examiners assessed 17 study models in the 9-year age group and 13 study models in the 12-year age group, as well as two intraoral clinical photographs of two patients with CBCLP. The assessments were repeated three times within two weeks of each assessment time. Patients with operated CBCLP (aged 9 and 12 years) had edge-to-edge tooth relations, which were categorized as a mild crossbite or mild deviation, and only required orthodontic treatment according to the two specified indicators. The CLP repair protocol used at the Harapan Kita Hospital effectively manages CBCLP cases with satisfactory results, suggesting the effectiveness of the MHB index and Bauru-BCLP yardstick in assessing dental arch relationships in patients with operated CBCLP. Key words:Bilateral, cleft lip and palate, dental arch relationship, lip repair, palate repair.

Evaluation of Cervical Spine Curvature and its Relation with Cranial Base in Class I, Cleft and Class III Malocclusion Individuals: A Cross-sectional Analysis

Introduction: According to the literature, an existing correlation is said to be present between craniocervical and craniofacial morphology. Recent studies have revealed that there are certain variations among the different forms of craniofacial patterns with respect to the morphology of the vertebrae. Since there are very few studies comparing the curvature of the cervical column in relation to the cranial base in Cleft, Class-I and ClassIII individuals, this study was carried out. Aim: To provide a comprehensive comparative analysis of the curvature of the cervical vertebral column and its relationship with the cranial base in Class-I, cleft, and Class-III individuals within the Central Indian population. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study conducted at the Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics at Sharad Pawar Dental College and Hospital, Sawangi (M).Wardha, Maharashtra, India, patients with skeletal Class-I, Class-III, and Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate (UCLP) or Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate (BCLP) in the Central India region were included. The study duration was eight months, from April 2022 to January 2023. The research involves a meticulous examination of 90 individuals, divided into three groups: Class-I individuals (n=30), cleft individuals (n=30), and ClassIII individuals (n=30). A comprehensive set of radiographic and cephalometric measurements will be employed to assess cervical vertebral curvature. One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test was used for analysis. Results: With the exception of Sella-Nasion to Gonion Gnathion (SA-Go-Gn), where the p-value was 0.13, a statistically significant difference between Class-I and Class-III was seen for all angles. For Class-III cases with clefts, every angle revealed a statistically significant difference. Except for SN-Go-Gn (p=0.65), all of the angles revealed a statistically significant difference when compared to Class-I with Cleft, with a p-value &lt;0.05. Conclusion: The modified curvature angle utilised in the present study facilitated the assessment of cervical curvature in Cleft, Class-I, and Class-III malocclusions, revealing differences in skeletal sagittal jaw relations, particularly in their cervical positions, as indicated by the study findings. Participants in skeletal Class-III had significantly straighter cervical columns than participants in skeletal Class-I. A significant difference between the maxillary base, mandibular base, and the midsection of the spinal column was seen between all three groups.

Bone-Anchored Maxillary Protraction for Adolescents with Cleft Palate and Class III Malocclusion: A Case Series

To describe the long-term treatment course of bone-anchored maxillary protraction (BAMP) and evaluate orthognathic surgical indications after BAMP Retrospective case series Craniofacial/Cleft Palate Program at the Orthopaedic Institute for Children in Los Angeles, CA Twelve male patients with cleft palate (CP), unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP), or bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) and Class III malocclusion treated with BAMP (mean age: 11.4 ± 2.6 years) were included. BAMP treatment was performed by placement of bone-anchored maxillary and mandibular plates connected with intraoral Class III dental elastics or maxillary plates connected to a facemask. We retrospectively assessed BAMP treatment variables, including age at surgery, revision surgeries, and treatment duration. The primary goal was correction to class I occlusion. Twelve patients underwent BAMP treatment for an average of 4.4 ± 2.4 years. Two patients were corrected to class I occlusion at the time of this report. Le Fort I advancement was no longer required in two patients (16.7%), it was required for nine patients (75.0%) and was completed for one patient following BAMP treatment (8.3%). This preliminary report demonstrated that BAMP treatment may be associated with a minimal reduction in the requirement for Le Fort I advancement at skeletal maturity. Future studies with larger sample sizes are necessary to confirm this association.

Rhinoplasty and Le Fort I Maxillary Osteotomy in Cleft Patients.

Cleft patients often need orthognathic surgery to correct maxillary hypoplasia and rhinoplasty to correct nasal deformity. Rhinoplasty can be performed as a staged procedure after orthognathic surgery or simultaneously with maxillary osteotomy. The authors evaluated need for and complications of staged and simultaneous rhinoplasties in patients with different cleft types undergoing maxillary osteotomy. This retrospective study examined 99 (54 females) consecutive nonsyndromic patients with cleft lip/palate [23 bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP), 51 unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP), and 25 cleft palate (CP)] with a mean age of 17.8 (range: 11.5-45.3) years who had undergone Le Fort I maxillary advancement or bimaxillary osteotomy at the Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Center, Helsinki University Hospital, Finland, between 2002 and 2016. Medical charts were accessed through the hospital's archives and database. Of patients who underwent maxillary osteotomy, 45% (45/99) needed rhinoplasty (14 BCLP, 27 UCLP, and 4 CP). A significant difference ( P <0.01) existed in the need for rhinoplasty between different cleft types, those with BCLP and UCLP needing the most operations (60% and 53%). In 20 patients (20%), rhinoplasty was performed simultaneously with maxillary osteotomy, and in 25 patients (25%) in a second operation after osteotomy. The overall complication rate was 14%. No difference existed in complication rate in patients with or without simultaneous rhinoplasty. Of cleft patients who underwent maxillary osteotomy, 45% needed rhinoplasty. Patients with BCLP and UCLP needed rhinoplasty most often. Staged and simultaneous procedures were almost equally common with similar complication rates.

Primary vomerine osteotomy with gingivoperiosteoplasty for bilateral cleft lip and palate patients with protrusion and/or torsion of the premaxilla

In patients with bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) with protrusion and/or torsion of the premaxilla, achieving a good outcome with adequate facial and maxillary development remains a challenge. In the present study, we report a retrospective cohort of patients with complete BCLP treated between 2017 and 2020 at a single center in Japan. We investigated the effect and complications of primary vomerine osteotomy (PVO) with gingivoperiosteoplasty (GPP) after presurgical orthodontics (PSO) for premaxillary protrusion and/or torsion. For patients with residual premaxillary protrusion and/or torsion after PSO, PVO, and GPP were performed. The distances and angles of the premaxilla were measured on dental casts before PSO, on the day of PVO, after PVO, and on the day of palatoplasty after cheiloplasty. We further assessed postoperative complications.From a total of 36 patients with complete BCLP after PSO, seven patients underwent PVO with GPP. Proper positioning of the premaxilla was achieved in all seven patients. The distance between the anterior edge of the premaxilla and the anterior edge of the lateral segment and the length of the premaxillary-lateral segment on both sides continued to decrease over time. Loosening of GPP sutures occurred in two cases, although no major complications such as necrosis of the premaxilla or fistula formation occurred.VO with GPP before primary cheiloplasty is a potential treatment option in BCLP when premaxilla still protrudes despite PSO or because PSO could not be applied.

Efficacy of rhBMP-2 and Cellular Bone Matrix in the Revision of Alveolar Bone Grafting

Objective: This study presents a novel approach that utilizes recombinant human bone morphogenic protein 2 (rhBMP-2) and cellular bone matrix (CBM) for revision alveolar bone graft (ABG) in unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) and bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) patients following failed autologous ABG. Methods: A case series of 14 UCLP and 4 BCLP patients who had failed autologous ABG with revision ABG with rhBMP-2 and CBM. Review of demographics, operative data, Bergland score, and alveolar cleft gap volume was performed. Results: Revision ABG had short operative times and low blood loss in both UCLP and BCLP. No postoperative complications were found in either revision group. Repeat ABG surgery was required in one patient. Bergland score improved from 3.86 ± 0.53to 1.21 ± 0.80 in the UCLP group and from 3.75 ± 0.50to 1.00 ± 0.00 in the BCLP group. The cleft volume decreased by 83.62 ± 9.78% in UCLP and by 86.73 ± 13.65% in the BCLP group. Conclusions: Revision ABG with rhBMP-2 and CBM is a successful and reliable approach. This method has decreased operative time and no postoperative complications. Most patients achieved clinically successful grafting with canine eruption. Both UCLP and BCLP groups saw a significant decrease in alveolar cleft gap volume.

Maxillary basal arch forms in operated adult patients with cleft lip and palate using root apices: A pilot study.

The purpose was to identify the maxillary basal arch forms utilizing the root apices and compare the maxillary basal arch form of groups with cleft lip and palate (CLP) and normal group. This study included 30 patients (21.8 ± 3.5 years old) with unilateral CLP (ULCP group) and 30 patients (20.9 ± 2.2 years old) with bilateral CLP (BCLP group). The normal group consisted of 30 non-cleft patients (21.2 ± 2.3 years old) with normal occlusion. Three-dimensional (3D) Cartesian coordinates of the root apices of each tooth were determined using cone-beam computed tomography. The 3D coordinates were projected onto the palatal plane to create the 2D coordinates. Thereafter, the basal arch forms were constructed by the Procrustes superimposition. Finally, For the basal arch form comparisons among groups, the inter-root widths were measured. Both CLP groups had a narrower inter-root width than the normal group. The BCLP group had significantly narrower premolar and molar widths than the UCLP group (P < .05). Especially, the inter-first molar width of the UCLP and BCLP groups was 3.7 ± 0.7 (P < .001) and 6.6 ± 0.8 (P < .001) mm smaller than that of the normal group, respectively. We used the root apices to identify the basal arch forms. The basal arch form of patients with CLP was narrower than that of the normal group. The basal arch form of patients with BCLP was narrower than that of patients with UCLP. Our findings may help clinicians better comprehend basal arch forms in patients with CLP and transverse discrepancies.

Tomographic Evaluation of the Upper Cervical Spine in Patients with Cleft lip and Palate and Class III Malocclusion.

To perform a morphometric analysis of the upper cervical spine (UCS) by means of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) for the diagnosis of malformations or craniocervical instabilities in patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP) and class III malocclusion. A total of 72 CBCTs from adult patients (48 male and 24 female) with Angle Class III malocclusion were divided into three groups: 1) Unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) (n = 29; male = 65.5%; age = 24, 2 ± 4.2 years); 2) Bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) (n = 18; male = 83.3%; age = 26.4 ± 6.0 years); 3) Control group (CON) (n = 25; male = 56.0%; age = 27.8 ± 9.3 years). The version 11.7 of the Dolphin® software (Chatsworth, California, USA) was used to evaluate the morphometric measurements and anomalies of the UCS. Data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics (p ≤ 0.05). For the UCLP, BCLP and CON groups, respectively, the measures were: atlantodental interval (2.1 ± 0.5; 2.1 ± 0.4; 2.0 ± 0.3 mm), basion-opisthion (35.9 ± 3.2; 36.4 ± 3.0; 34.7 ± 1.9 mm), hyoid-C3 (34.5 ± 3.7; 34.5 ± 5.2; 35.3 ± 4.5 mm), and hyoid-sella (108.1 ± 9.8; 111.3 ± 9.2; 109.7 ± 10 mm); clivus-canal angle (152.3 ± 13; 150.3 ± 10; 150.7 ± 10°) and Torg-Pavlov index (1.0 ± 0.2; 1.0 ± 0.1; 1.1 ± 0.2). Potentially unstable anomalies and malformations were more prevalent in the UCLP group (34,4%). Subjects with UCLP presented compressive or unstable anomalies on upper cervical spine, more frequently than controls and BCLP, despite the lack of statistically significant differences among groups. Future studies could increase the safety of patients and healthcare professionals specialized in craniofacial anomalies.

Effects of Nasoalveolar Molding on Maxillary Arch Dimensions and Malocclusion Characteristics of Deciduous Dentition Patients with Cleft Lip and Palate.

To evaluate the effects of nasoalveolar molding (NAM) therapy on maxillary arch dimensions and malocclusion characteristics in patients with unilateral (UCLP) and bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP). Patients in deciduous dentition were referred to the institutional department of orthodontics. The NAM group consisted of 21 patients with UCLP (mean age 4.7±0.7 years) and 12 patients with BCLP (mean age 4.8±0.7 years). Sixteen patients with UCLP (mean age 4.9±0.9 years) and 5 patients with BCLP (mean age 5.4±1.1 years) were included in the non-NAM group. The plaster models of all patients were digitized. Dental arch dimensions and malocclusion characteristics were analyzed via digital software. One-way ANOVA with Bonferroni correction was used for statistical analysis. Intercanine and intermolar widths showed statistically significant differences according to the cleft type (P<.01). There was no statistically significant effect of NAM therapy on maxillary arch parameters and malocclusion characteristics (P>.05). The prevalence of anterior crossbite was 12.1% in the NAM group, and 23.8% in the non-NAM group. NAM therapy did not affect the maxillary arch dimensions and malocclusion characteristics in patients with UCLP and BCLP. The cleft type was the main factor, leading to a significant difference in maxillary widths.