title: Computed tomographic evaluation of bone formation after secondary bone grafting of alveolar clefts.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this article was to evaluate the initial volume of alveolar clefts and the bone bridges formed in patients who had undergone secondary bone grafting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen cleft patients were studied. Computed tomography (CT) scans were made at 2-mm slice sections immediately before operation and at 3 months and 1 year postoperatively. The volume of the alveolar clefts and bone bridges was calculated from stored images by using an image scanner and a personal computer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean cleft volume of the patients was 1.1 +/- 0.3 cm3. The corresponding volume of the bone bridges 3 months and 1 year postoperatively were 1.2 +/- 0.6 cm3 and 1.1 +/- 0.5 cm3, respectively. The value at 1 year was significantly decreased compared with that at 3 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adequate bone bridging was maintained for 1 year. However, it is suggested that the grafted site should be restored with a functioning tooth or a dental implant to place it under physiologic stress, because the volume of the bone bridges tends to decrease from 3 months to 1 year.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, Niigata University, Niigata City, Japan. honma@dent.niigata-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Honma
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hayasi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D001846:Bone Development; D016025:Bone Transplantation; D002648:Child; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data