Potential Uses of Adhatoda Vasica in Orthodontics.

Plaque control, pain control, and modulation of inflammatory mediators to accelerate or stabilize tooth movements are hot issues in orthodontics. The recent advent of phytochemicals as biological mediators has opened new vistas in the aforementioned areas of orthodontics. Adhatoda vasica has caught the attention of investigators due to multiple properties related to orthodontics. This study addresses the potential areas of use of A. vasica in orthodontics, which provide ideas for further investigations. A. vasica possesses antibacterial activity, antifungal activity, anti-oxidant effect, anti-inflammatory activity, analgesic effect, osteogenic, and osteoclastic activities. A. vasica has huge potential in orthodontics, whereas all these vistas need careful and methodical testing before use in clinical orthodontics. In the future, investigators can focus on these aspects of the use of A. vasica to develop products.

Progressive changes of columella length and nasal growth after nasoalveolar molding in bilateral cleft patients: a 3-year follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to assess the progressive changes of columella length and nasal growth after presurgical nasoalveolar molding and primary cheiloplasty in bilateral complete cleft lip-cleft palate infants. METHODS: Twenty-two consecutive complete bilateral cleft lip-cleft palate infants were included. All of them underwent nasoalveolar molding for columella lengthening and retraction of the premaxilla for 3 to 4.5 months before primary cheiloplasty. Standard 1:1 basilar photographs were taken before and after nasoalveolar molding, 1 week after cheiloplasty, and yearly for 3 years. Nasal height and width were measured directly on the photographs. RESULTS: The results revealed that columella length was significantly lengthened after nasoalveolar molding and was further improved after primary cheiloplasty. The columella decreased in length slightly in the first and second years postoperatively and started to increase in length slightly in the third year postoperatively, whereas the rest of the nose grew significantly in height year by year. This consequently appeared as relapse of columella length. The shortage of the columella length was 1.9 mm. CONCLUSIONS: Both presurgical nasoalveolar molding and primary cheiloplasty lengthened the columella in bilateral cleft lip-cleft palate patients. However, there was a relative relapse in columella length because of the differential growth between the columella and the rest of the nose in the first and second years postoperatively.

The progressive changes of nasal symmetry and growth after nasoalveolar molding: a three-year follow-up study.

The purpose of this study was to assess the progressive changes of nasal symmetry, growth, and relapse after presurgical nasoalveolar molding and primary cheiloplasty in unilateral complete cleft lip/palate infants. Twenty-five consecutive complete unilateral cleft lip/palate infants were included. All the infants underwent nasoalveolar molding before primary cheiloplasty. Standard 1:1 ratio basilar photographs were taken before and after nasoalveolar molding, 1 week after cheiloplasty, and yearly for 3 years. Linear measurements were made directly on the photographs. The results of this study revealed that the nasal asymmetry was significantly improved after nasoalveolar molding and was further corrected to symmetry after primary cheiloplasty. After the primary cheiloplasty, the nasal asymmetry significantly relapsed in the first year postoperatively and then remained stable and well afterward. The relapse was the result of a significant differential growth between the cleft and noncleft sides in the first year postoperatively. To compensate for relapse and differential growth, the authors recommend (1) narrowing down the alveolar cleft as well as possible by nasoalveolar molding, (2) overcorrecting the nasal vertical dimension surgically, and (3) maintaining the surgical results using a nasal conformer.