A Comparative Cephalometric Study of Nasoalveolar Molding- and Non-Nasoalveolar Molding-Treated Bilateral Cleft Patients at Early Mixed Dentition Period.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate and compare early maxillary growth in 2 groups of patients with repaired bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) who had and had not received nasoalveolar molding (NAM) therapy in infancy.

HYPOTHESIS: Nasoalveolar molding does not have any effect on maxillomandibular growth at the early mixed dentition period.

DESIGN: Retrospective study.

PATIENTS: The study group consisted of forty-two 7-year-old patients with BCLP-20 in the NAM group and 22 in the no-NAM group. The control group consisted of nineteen 7-year-old noncleft, normal patients.

INTERVENTIONS: Nasoalveolar molding was carried out prior to surgeries in those children who were brought in within 8 weeks of birth. Children brought in later were treated without a presurgical intervention. All patients were treated with a single-stage modified Millard cheiloplasty without gingivoperiosteoplasty. Palatoplasty was done by single-stage Bardach palatoplasty with muscle repositioning.

MEAN OUTCOME MEASURES: Hard tissue and dental cephalometric values measured on lateral cephalograms, recorded at 7 years of age.

RESULTS: A comparison of the mean sagittal values showed a statistically significant maxillomandibular retrusion and incisor retroclination of both BCLP groups in comparison to the control group. None of the cephalometric parameters varied statistically between NAM and no-NAM groups. The maxillomandibular relation, lower face height ratio, mandibular plane, and mandibular axis angles did not show statistically significant difference between all 3 groups.

CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of this study, NAM does not have any effect on maxillomandibular growth at the early mixed dentition period.