[Presurgical orthopedic treatment of children with unilateral cleft lip and palate with a sequential splints method: indications and long-term results].

OBJECTIVES

To justify the use of the Sequential Splints Method of presurgical orthopedic treatment for children with unilateral cleft lip and palate depending on extent of initial deformation and to estimate long-term results.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

The method was applied in 17 unilateral cleft lip and palate infants who received treatment at the age from 4 days to 3 months. There was a control group of 28 cleft lip and palate patients operated with no early orthodontics. Average age in both groups at the time of research was 3.8±0.9 years. Comparative assessment was conducted before the beginning of the post-operative orthodontic treatment for the following parameters: residual width of the alveolar process cleft, presence of lateral incisor's bud, the extent of the nose deformation on the cleft side.

RESULTS

It was found that residual width of the alveolar process cleft was, on average, 5.95 mm in the main group and 12.6 mm in the control group. The percentage of the lateral incisor adentia was 28% in the main group and 66% in the control group. The mean score of alar nose deformation was 3.9 and 3.1 points, correspondingly.

CONCLUSION

According to obtained results patients who did not receive the presurgical orthopedic treatment were more likely to have residual deformations and larger residual width of the alveolar process cleft. There was higher risk of teeth germs loss in the control group. The Sequential Splints Method of presurgical orthopedic treatment is recommended as a necessary part of the treatment for the unilateral cleft lip and palate.