Mind the Gap: Alveolar Bone Graft Revision in the Era of Computed Tomography.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the rate of revision alveolar bone grafting (ABG) in patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP) before and after the introduction of postoperative computed tomography (CT). DESIGN: Retrospective case-control study analyzing the incidence of revision ABG in patients with and without postoperative CT scans for graft success evaluation. SETTING: Academic tertiary care pediatric hospital. PATIENTS: Eighty-seven patients with CLP or cleft lip and alveolus treated with autologous iliac crest bone grafting for alveolar clefts over a 10-year period (January 2009 to March 2019) with minimum 6-month follow-up. Fifty patients had postoperative CT evaluation; 37 did not. INTERVENTIONS: Postoperative CT to determine ABG success, versus standard clinical examination and 2-dimensional radiographs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Requirement for revision ABG, defined as failure of the original graft by clinical or radiographic examination. RESULTS: Fifty-eight percent of patients underwent a postoperative CT scan at median interval of 10 months after surgery. Patients with postoperative CT evaluation had a 44% rate of revision ABG (22/50) for inadequate graft take, compared to 5% (2/37) in patients without postoperative CT (P < .001; 95% CT, 31%-58% in the CT group, 1%-16% in the non-CT group). CONCLUSIONS: Computed tomography evaluation after ABG is associated with a significantly increased revision rate for inadequate graft take. The presence of a secondary palatal fistula at the time of original ABG is not associated with revision requirement. Lack of standardized dental and orthodontic records complicates the study of ABG outcomes and presents an area for systems-based improvement.

Primer on State Statutory Mandates of Third-Party Orthodontic Coverage for Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Care in the United States.

Provision and timing of orthodontic treatment is a crucial part of comprehensive cleft palate and craniofacial care. Some states statutorily mandate orthodontic coverage for the medically necessary care of cleft palate and craniofacial anomalies. However, application of the medically necessary standard varies broadly. Disputes over medical necessity lead to orthodontic coverage denials and surgical intervention delays. Provider-friendly statutory definitions of medical necessity enable patients and providers to avoid such hurdles. The objective of this study is to evaluate state mandates and highlight language favorable to patients and providers.

Long-Term Incisal Relationships After Palatoplasty in Patients With Isolated Cleft Palate.

PURPOSE: Various palatoplasty techniques have limited incisions in the hard palate due to concerns that these incisions may limit maxillary growth. There is little convincing long-term evidence to support this. Our purpose is to determine incisal relationships, an indicator for future orthognathic procedure, in patients after repair of an isolated cleft of the secondary palate. METHODS: Our craniofacial database was used to identify patients aged 10 years or greater with an isolated cleft of the secondary palate who underwent palatoplasty between 1985 and 2002. Data collected included age at palatoplasty and follow-up, cleft type, associated syndrome, Robin sequence, surgeon, repair technique, number of operations, and occlusion. Incisal relationship was determined through clinical observation by a pediatric dentist and orthodontist. RESULTS: Seventy eligible patients operated on by 9 surgeons were identified. Class III incisal relationship was seen in 5 patients (7.1%). Palatoplasty techniques over the hard palate (63 of 70 patients) included 2-flap palatoplasty, VY-pushback, and Von Langenbeck repair. There was an association between class III incisal relationship and syndromic diagnosis (P <0.001). Other study variables were not associated with class III incisal relationships. CONCLUSION: In patients with an isolated cleft of the secondary palate, there was no association between class III incisal relationship and surgeon, age at repair, cleft type, palatoplasty technique, or number of operations. Increased likelihood of class III incisal relationship was associated primarily with syndromic diagnosis.

Occlusal relationship in patients with bilateral cleft lip and palate during the mixed dentition stage: does neonatal maxillary arch configuration predetermine outcome?

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether there is any correlation between initial maxillary arch dysmorphology patterns in complete bilateral cleft lip/palate (BCLP) and the subsequent occlusal relationship in early mixed dentition. DESIGN: This retrospective study evaluated 41 consecutive patients with complete BCLP who were managed by a single tertiary cleft team between 1983 and 1992. All patients had bilateral synchronous lip adhesions with placement of a passive alveolar molding appliance at 4 to 8 weeks of age; definitive modified Manchester lip repair at 6 to 8 months of age; and a one-stage "two-flap" palatoplasty at 14 months of age. Neither gingivoperiosteoplasty nor early alveolar bone grafting was performed. Four patients required early surgical premaxillary setback because of adverse social reactions to a very protrusive premaxilla. All patients (7 to 9 years) were assessed prior to initiation of first-phase orthodontics (maxillary expansion) in anticipation of alveolar bone grafting. Cleft team records were reviewed to determine initial maxillary arch dysmorphology, treatment, and occlusal relationships in early mixed dentition stage. The initial maxillary dysmorphology was classified using a new grouping based on orientation of the vomer, the intercanine distance, and its symmetry. Patterns of mixed dentition occlusion were then compared with group type, and predication tables were generated. Because midface retrusion is the major dentoskeletal morbidity in cleft patients, angle Class I and II occlusions were designated as "favorable" and Class III as "unfavorable." RESULTS: In early mixed dentition, approximately three-fourths of patients with complete BCLP had favorable occlusion and one-fourth unfavorable occlusion. The occlusal status seemed unrelated to the initial maxillary arch dysmorphology, the use of early passive alveolar molding appliance, or surgical premaxillary setback. CONCLUSION: Patterns of variation within the initial dysmorphology of the maxillary arch in infants with complete BCLP cannot be used to predetermine subsequent molar occlusal relationships in the mixed dentition.