Effectiveness of Presurgical Nasoalveolar Molding Appliance in Infants With Complete Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effectiveness of the presurgical nasoalveolar molding appliance among infants with unilateral cleft lip and palate.

METHODS

In this prospective study, 95 pairs of casts of infants with unilateral cleft lip and palate treated by presurgical nasoalveolar molding were selected at the Children's Hospital 1 at Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The average time of treatment was 3 months. All casts were scanned and measured using 3-dimensional technology before and after treatment. Paired t tests were applied for comparisons.

RESULTS

There was a statistically significant increase in the nostril height in cleft side (P < .001), decrease in the nostril width and columella angle (P < .001), and decrease in cleft width and midline deviation (P < .001) after treatment with presurgical nasoalveolar molding appliance.

CONCLUSIONS

Nasoalveolar molding appliance is effective in improving the morphology of nostril and maxillary alveolar. Understanding this helps orthodontists and surgeons in treatment outcome expectations.