title: Skeletal and dental stability after maxillary distraction with a rigid external device in adult cleft lip and palate patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate skeletal and dental stability in adult cleft lip and palate patients treated with a rigid external distraction system at the end of distraction and during the postdistraction period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Lateral cephalograms of 7 patients were obtained before distraction, at the end of distraction, and during the postdistraction period. The mean age before distraction was 21.56 +/- 4.73 years. The mean follow-up was 37.3 +/- 12.4 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The assessment of findings showed that skeletal maxillary sagittal movement was achieved in a superoanterior direction. The maxillary depth angle and effective maxillary length increased significantly (2 degrees and 9 mm, respectively) after distraction, whereas the palatal plane angle increased by 8 degrees , resulting in an anterior movement of the maxilla with a counterclockwise rotation. The lower facial height showed no significant changes after distraction. The sagittal movement of the upper incisors and the angulation of the upper first molars increased significantly (4.5 mm and 5.5 degrees , respectively). During the postdistraction period, the maxilla showed a slight relapse (22%). The effective maxillary length decreased by 2 mm. The palatal plane angle almost returned to its original position, showing 7 degrees of clockwise rotation. The lower facial height remained stable. The upper incisors moved anteriorly and the upper first molars showed a significant mesioangular change during follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After distraction, significant maxillary advancement was achieved with a counterclockwise rotation. The upper incisors moved labially, and the upper first molars angulated mesially. After 3 years, a 22% relapse rate was seen in the maxilla. The counterclockwise rotation of the maxilla was returned to its original position. The upper incisors moved more anteriorly.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Orthodontics, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey. mugepeh@hacettepe.edu.tr
authors.forename: Muge
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aksu
authors.forename: Banu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Saglam-Aydinatay
authors.forename: Cenk Ahmet
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Akcan
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: El
authors.forename: Tulin
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Taner
authors.forename: Ilken
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kocadereli
authors.forename: Gokhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tuncbilek
authors.forename: Mehmet Emin
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Mavili
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002508:Cephalometry; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000601:surgery; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000601:surgery*; D016267:External Fixators; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008313:Malocclusion, Angle Class III / Q000601:surgery*; D008437:Maxilla / Q000601:surgery*; D019857:Osteogenesis, Distraction / Q000295:instrumentation; D019340:Osteotomy, Le Fort / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D014087:Tooth Movement Techniques; D055815:Young Adult