Orthognathic surgery in the young cleft patient: preliminary study on subsequent facial growth.
OBJECTIVE
This study evaluated the long-term effects of orthognathic surgery on subsequent growth of the maxillomandibular complex in the young cleft patient.


METHODS
We evaluated 12 young cleft patients (9 male and 3 female patients), with a mean age of 12 years 6 months (range, 9 years 8 months to 15 years 4 months), who underwent Le Fort I osteotomies, with maxillary advancement, expansion, and/or downgrafting, by use of autogenous bone or hydroxyapatite grafts, when indicated, for maxillary stabilization. Five patients had concomitant osteotomies of the mandibular ramus. All patients had presurgical and postsurgical orthodontic treatment to control the occlusion. Radiographs taken at initial evaluation (T1) and presurgery (T2) were compared to establish the facial growth vector before surgery, whereas radiographs taken immediately postsurgery (T3) and at longest follow-up (T4) were used to determine postsurgical growth. Each patient's lateral cephalograms were traced, and 16 landmarks were identified and used to compute 11 measurements describing presurgical and postsurgical growth.


RESULTS
Before surgery, all patients had relatively normal growth. After surgery, cephalograms showed statistically significant growth changes from T3 to T4, with the maxillary depth decreasing by -3.3 degrees +/- 1.8 degrees , Sella-nasion-point A by -3.3 degrees +/- 1.8 degrees, and point A-nasion-point B by -3.6 degrees +/- 2.8 degrees. The angulation of the maxillary incisors increased by 9.2 degrees +/- 11.7 degrees. Of 12 patients, 11 showed disproportionate postsurgical jaw growth. Maxillary growth occurred predominantly in a vertical vector with no anteroposterior growth, even though most patients had shown anteroposterior growth before surgery. The distance increased in the linear measurement from nasion to gnathion by 10.3 +/- 7.9 mm. Four of 5 patients operated on during the mixed dentition phase had teeth that erupted through the cleft area. A variable impairment of postoperative growth was seen with the 2 types of grafting material used. No significant difference was noted in the effect on growth in patients with unilateral clefts versus those with bilateral clefts. The presence of a pharyngeal flap was noted to adversely affect growth, whereas simultaneous mandibular surgery did not. After surgery, 11 of 12 patients tended toward a Class III end-on occlusal relation.


CONCLUSIONS
Orthognathic surgery may be performed on growing cleft patients when mandated by psychological and/or functional concerns. The surgeon must be cognizant of the adverse postsurgical growth outcomes when performing orthognathic surgery on growing cleft patients with the possibility for further surgery requirements. Performing maxillary osteotomies on cleft patients would be more predictable after completion of facial growth.
Wolford
Larry M
LM
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Texas A&M University Health Science Center Baylor College of Dentistry, Dallas, TX, USA. lwolford@swbell.net
Cassano
Daniel Serra
DS
Cottrell
David A
DA
El Deeb
Mohamed
M
Karras
Spiro C
SC
Goncalves
Joao Roberto
JR
D000293:Adolescent; D018786:Bone Substitutes; D016025:Bone Transplantation; D002508:Cephalometry; D002648:Child; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D008437:Maxilla / Q000601:surgery*; D008445:Maxillofacial Development; D016155:Oral Fistula / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D009971:Orthodontics, Corrective; D019340:Osteotomy, Le Fort; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014078:Tooth Eruption
D018786:Bone Substitutes