title: The effects of face mask therapy in cleft lip and palate patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Children treated with cleft lip and palate often develops mid-facial retrusion. In this study 20 patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) were treated with face mask and studied for the effect of growth.
  
  
  METHODS
  The patients were treated by the same orthodontist using the same techniques and appliances. Mean pre- and posttreatment ages were 8.7 and 9.5 years, respectively. Each child was matched by ethnicity, age, sex, and the SN/MP angle to an untreated (noncleft) control. The treatment period with face mask was approximately 7 months and 5 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study showed definite protraction of the maxilla for UCLP group (P < 0.001). The posterior maxilla of the UCLP group underwent anterior displacement while the maxillary incisors showed greater anterior movement than expected for untreated control group (P < 0.01). Vertical changes of the maxilla showed no significant differences in cleft group. The mandible of the UCLP group was rotated inferiorly and posteriorly (P < 0.05) while control group showed inferior and anterior changes. The lower incisors were stable in the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  From this study, it can be inferred that the UCLP group show significantly anterior maxillary movements when compared with the control group when face mask is used as per prescription.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontic, Faculty of Dentistry, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Servet
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dogan
keywords: Cleft Lip; RME; cephalometrics; cleft palate; face mask