Effects of rapid maxillary expansion on hard and soft facial tissues in children with unilateral cleft lip and palate: A correlation study.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effects of rapid maxillary expansion (RME) on hard and facial soft tissues in children with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP).

METHODS

TThis prospective longitudinal study comprised 34 UCLP children aged 8-10 years, with maxillary transverse constriction. The effects of RME on hard tissues were assessed using cone-beam computed tomography while facial soft tissues were assessed using a three-dimensional digital stereophotogrammetry.

RESULTS

Pyriform aperture width increased by 3.38 mm (P<0.001), alar base width increased by 2.91 mm (P= 0.009), and alar base root width increased by 2.45 mm (P=0.022). Anterior maxillary basal width increased by 2.80 mm (P= 0.029). Inter zygomatic maxillary distance increased by 2.66 mm (P=0.031) and the ectomolar distance increased by 3.14 mm (P = 0.015). Pyriform width had strong positive correlation with alar base width (r= 0.86, P=0.015) and anterior maxillary basal width had strong positive correlation with alar base root width (r=0.79, P=0.007).      .

CONCLUSION

RME produced significant increase in the nasal hard and soft tissue width with a significant positive correlation between both variables.