title: Early maxillary arch changes in complete bilateral cleft lip and palate: a report of four cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate early maxillary arch changes in infants with complete bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP), using a simple measurement technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  A measurement model technique simplified from previously reported methods was used to analyze early maxillary changes of four non-syndromic complete BCLP. Study models of these cases were evaluated before presurgical orthopedic treatment and lip reconstruction (T1) and prior to palatal closure (T2). Comparisons of maxillary arch changes were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At T1, protrusion with or without deviation of the primary palate and different amounts of cleft width were found. Anterior alveolar arch width was larger than the posterior At T2, the primary palate was retracted and initial lateral displacement was corrected. Cleft widths were narrowed at all levels with the narrowest part located anteriorly, corresponding with the increasing of primary palate arch width. Posterior alveolar arch width was wider than the anterior region. Although the posterior alveolar arch was lengthened, total alveolar arch length was decreased which could be attributable to a large retraction of the primary palate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early morphological and positional changes to the three segments of maxillary arch could be visualized and clarified with this technique, using study models and arch form superimposition methods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand. chutimap@kku.ac.th
authors.forename: Chutimaporn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Keinprasit
authors.forename: Chutinart
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kuratchatchaval
mesh_terms: D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000601:surgery; D002508:Cephalometry; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000601:surgery*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000601:surgery*; D003724:Dental Arch / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008046:Lip / Q000601:surgery; D008437:Maxilla / Q000601:surgery; D019647:Oral Surgical Procedures; D010159:Palate / Q000601:surgery; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures