title: Long-term follow-up after maxillary distraction osteogenesis in growing children with cleft lip and palate.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the changes in maxillary position after maxillary distraction osteogenesis in six growing children with cleft lip and palate.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective, longitudinal study on maxillary changes at A point, anterior nasal spine, posterior nasal spine, central incisor, and first molar.
  
  
  METHODS
  The University Hospital Craniofacial Center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cephalometric radiographs were used to measure the maxillary position immediately after distraction, at 6 months, and more than 1 year after distraction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After maxillary distraction with a rigid external distraction device, the maxilla (A point) on average moved forward 9.7 mm and downward 3.5 mm immediately after distraction, moved backward 0.9 mm and upward 2.0 mm after 6 months postoperatively, and then moved further backward 2.3 mm and downward 6.8 mm after more than 1 year from the predistraction position.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In most cases, maxilla moved forward at distraction and started to move backward until 1 year after distraction, but remained forward, as compared with predistraction position. Maxilla also moved downward during distraction and upward in 6 months, but started descending in 1 year. There also was no further forward growth of the maxilla after distraction in growing children with clefts.
authors.affiliation: Craniofacial Center, Faculty of Dentistry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. sshuang@ms1.hinet.net
authors.forename: Chiung-Shing
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Pandurangan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Harikrishnan
authors.forename: Yu-Fang
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Ellen W C
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Eric J W
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Liou
authors.forename: Philip K T
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002508:Cephalometry; D002648:Child; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000254:growth & development / Q000601:surgery*; D008445:Maxillofacial Development; D019857:Osteogenesis, Distraction / Q000379:methods*; D019340:Osteotomy, Le Fort / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome