A New Technique in Alveolar Cleft Bone Grafting for Dental Implant Placement in Patients With Cleft Lip and Palate.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate 2 iliac corticocancellous-block grafting techniques for dental implant placement in residual alveolar clefts.

DESIGN

Nonrandomized prospective clinical trial between March 2010 and December 2014.

SETTING

National Hospital of Odonto-Stomatology, Hanoi, Vietnam.

PARTICIPANTS

Thirty-two patients (23 female, 9 male; mean age, 21.28 years; range, 16-31 years) with unilateral complete alveolar cleft after reconstructive surgery for cleft lip and palate (CLP).

INTERVENTIONS: Harvested iliac crest bone was cut into 2 corticocancellous blocks. The smaller block was adapted against the sutured nasal mucoperiosteum and overlaid with cancellous bone; the larger one overlapped the labial cleft margin and was fixed with screws. Endosteal dental implants were placed after 4 to 6 months, and final restorations were delivered 6 months later.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Flap statuses were assessed clinically. Bone formation was assessed using the Enemark scale. Cone-beam computed tomography was used for graft height and width measurements. Implant health was assessed by the Misch criteria.

RESULTS

The mean postgrafting follow-up period was 36.7 ± 10.4 (range, 18-53) months. Three patients (9.4%) showed flap dehiscence but no infection 7 days after bone grafting. Twenty-nine patients (90.6%) had 75% to 100% bone fill (Enemark score of 1). The mean graft height and width were 11.4 ± 2.4 and 6.1 ± 1.0 mm, respectively. Sufficient bone for implant placement was noted in 29 patients (90.6%); the others required partially fixed prostheses. All implants functioned for at least 18 months.

CONCLUSION

The proposed technique is reliable to reconstruct the alveolar cleft for implant placement in CLP patients.