Effects of Presurgical Oral Orthopedics on Bilateral Complete Clefts of The Lip and Palate

Abstract

The effects of presurgical oral orthopedics on children with bilateral complete Clefts of the primary and secondary palates were later studied in the deciduous and mixed dentitions. The treated and non—treated groups were identical as regards surgical technique, timing of surgery and surgeon. In the deciduous dentition 4% of the 23 treated cases had incisor crossbite, while 46% of the 13 untreated cases had incisor crossbite. In the mixed dentition the frequency was 21% of the 14 treated cases and 73% of the 15 non—treated cases. At both stages these differences were highly significant. A cephalometric skeletal analysis demonstrated no significant difference between the two groups at either the deciduous or mixed dentition stages.