title: Fusion of maxillary and mandibular alveolar process together with a median mandibular cleft: a rare congenital anomaly.
abstract: Congenital fusion of the maxillary alveolar process and mandible is a very rare entity. A one day old male newborn was referred to our clinic with a diagnosis of a 'absence of oral cavity'. Physical examination revealed that there was no mouth opening bilaterally in the posterior region due to maxillary and mandibular bone fusion; and in the front there was only 1 mm of mouth opening. Examination of the intraoral space could not be achieved. No other congenital anomaly was detected on general examination. The infant, who was fed via a nasogastric tube for 1 month, was operated on. An intra-oral device which separated maxillary and mandibular alveolar arches from each other was designed and used for 8 weeks to avoid recurrence of the fusion. An adequate mouth opening was obtained and the infant could be fed orally.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Istanbul Sişli Etfal Hospital, Turkey.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uğurlu
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Turan
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Urganci
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gözü
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Günay
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Baş
mesh_terms: D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000002:abnormalities*; D000543:Alveoloplasty; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery; D008437:Maxilla / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery; D009064:Mouth Protectors; D012008:Recurrence; D013165:Splints