Presurgical orthopaedic treatment of newborns with clefts--functional treatment with long-term effects.

AIM: Presentation of an orthopaedic/orthodontic treatment protocol within the framework of complex rehabilitation of patients with clefts of lip, alveolus and palate. Presurgical orthopaedic treatment aims at reduction of cleft size by guiding growth and functional rehabilitation. Long-term results of maxillary development and occlusion at young adult age are reported. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 43 newborns with unilateral (19) or bilateral (24) clefts of lip, alveolus and palate were examined until their deciduous dentition was complete. In 29 patients a late follow-up was performed at age 17.3 years (mean). Maxillary dental casts were evaluated prior to and following presurgical orthopaedic treatment at the time the deciduous dentition was complete and at young adult age (2 to 5 years after termination of orthodontic treatment). Parameters were width of the alveolar and palatal cleft as well as width and length of the dental arch. In the adults occlusion was studied and the occlusal outcome was related to the therapeutical input. RESULTS: Presurgical orthopaedic treatment reduced the cleft width by taking advantage of normal growth. At the age of 3 to 4 years the development of the upper dental arch was in line with that of non-cleft children. CONCLUSION: Maxillary growth may be guided in almost physiological terms even in patients with a cleft of lip, alveolus and palate. Prerequisite is functional rehabilitation by means of orthopaedic treatment at age 1 to 12 months in terms of functional orthodontic therapy and a surgical protocol saving tissues with growth potential.

Epidemiology of Hoffmeister's genetically determined predisposition to disturbed development of the dentition in patients with true skeletal class III malocclusion.

AIM: The prevalence of symptoms of Hoffmeister's "genetically determined predisposition to disturbed development of the dentition" as studied in patients with true skeletal Class III malocclusion; results of the study were compared with those found in the scientific literature regarding samples from the normal population and from orthodontic patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The prevalence of 20 defined symptoms was evaluated in 120 patients with true skeletal Class III malocclusion. The patients were selected on the basis of a positive family history and on the presentation of typical characteristics of a skeletal Class III morphology in a lateral cephalogram. The mean age of the patients evaluated was 12.4 years. The patients' files, 1161 radiographs and plaster casts were analyzed. The prevalence of the individual symptoms was compared by means of the chi(2)-test (p < or = 0.05). RESULTS: 118 patients (98.3%) were found to have 292 symptoms of "genetically determined predisposition to disturbed development of the dentition". Increased distance between molar buds, atypical tooth bud position and atypical root shape were the symptoms recorded most frequently. With regard to the simultaneous existence of several symptoms, the combination of four such symptoms was most frequent (20.8%), followed by the combination of three symptoms (15.8%), and five symptoms (15.0%). Congenital hypodontia was found in 19.2% of the patients. CONCLUSION: It should be kept in mind for patients with true skeletal Class III malocclusion that this type of dysgnathia is most likely combined with other symptoms of disturbed development of the dentition. The higher prevalence of those symptoms found in patients with skeletal Class III malocclusion when compared with the normal population and other orthodontic patients renders orthodontic treatment of those patients more difficult and calls for comprehensive clinical and radiological examination prior to any treatment.