title: A comparison of treatment results in complete bilateral cleft lip and palate using a conservative approach versus Millard-Latham PSOT procedure.
abstract: Conservative non-presurgical orthopedic treatment in complete bilateral cleft lip and palate (CBCLP) cases were compared with those treated will the Millard-Latham (M-L) method, which involves the presurgical mechanical retraction of the protruding premaxilla using pinned palatal appliances. In conservatively treated cases, a head bonnet with an external elastic is sometimes used before surgical lip closure to ventroflex the premaxilla thereby reducing tension at the surgical sites. The M-L method involves premaxillary bodily retraction followed by a gingivo-periosteoplasty. In both series of cases the palatal cleft (hard and soft) is closed for patients aged 18 to 30 months using a modified von Langenbeck procedure. A secondary alveolar bone graft is only performed in the conservatively treated series for patients aged 7 to 9 years. Although the premaxilla in 2 of 29 conservatively treated cases were retruded and in anterior crossbite by 10 to 12 years of age, all M-L cases were retruded by 9 years of age requiring maxillary protraction. In the M-L cases 90% showed bony bridging of the alveolar cleft with frequent loss of the lateral incisor space; surgical closure of the nasal floor is facilitated, and early aesthetic improvement is followed by midfacial retrusion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Surgery, University of Miami School of Medicine, FL, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Berkowitz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000543:Alveoloplasty; D016025:Bone Transplantation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005893:Gingivoplasty; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008046:Lip / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008445:Maxillofacial Development; D009967:Orthodontic Appliances; D011300:Preoperative Care; D013515:Surgery, Oral / Q000379:methods*