title: Radiographic assessment of influence of cleft width and canine position on alveolar bone graft success: a retro-prospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of cleft width and the pre-surgical position of the permanent cuspid, on the success of secondary alveolar bone grafts, using preoperative and post-operative radiographs.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 20 cases treated with secondary alveolar bone grafting for alveolar clefts were included in the study. Pre-surgical maxillary occlusal radiograph was used to determine the cleft width. Canine position was assessed by marking 6 points on a pre-surgical intra oral periapical radiograph. Alveolar bone contour and the success of bone grafts were determined using 11 points marked on post-operative periapical radiographs taken after a minimum follow-up of 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Linear regression analysis of pre-operative cleft width and pre-operative position of the permanent cuspid were carried out on the bone graft success which was determined using post-surgical periapical radiographs. P < 0.05 was set. The results obtained had weak correlations and were statistically not significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We concluded that the success of the alveolar bone graft has minimal or no relation to the pre-operative width of the cleft or the position of the permanent cuspid at the time of grafting.
authors.affiliation: Craniofacial Surgery and Research Center, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, S.D.M. College of Dental Sciences, Sattur, Dharwad, Karnataka India ; Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Farooqia Dental College and Hospital, Tilak nagar, Mysore, Karnataka India ; Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Farooqia College of Dental Sciences, Farooqia Dental College and Hospital, Eidgah, Tilak nagar, Mysore, 570 021 India.
authors.forename: Varsha H
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Upadya
authors.affiliation: Craniofacial Surgery and Research Center, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, S.D.M. College of Dental Sciences, Sattur, Dharwad, Karnataka India ; Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sri Sai College of Dental Surgery, Kothrepally, Vikarabad, Andhra Pradesh India.
authors.forename: H Hari Kishore
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Bhat
authors.affiliation: Craniofacial Surgery and Research Center, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, S.D.M. College of Dental Sciences, Sattur, Dharwad, Karnataka India.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gopalkrishnan
keywords: Canine position; Cleft width; Graft success; Secondary alveolar bone grafting