title: Nasoalveolar moulding for children with unilateral cleft lip and palate.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cleft lip and palate represents the most frequently occurring congenital deformity second only to club foot deformity in our country. Wide alveolar clefts if not preceded by pre surgical orthodontic adjuncts like nasoalveolar moulding, may affect the final outcome of the primary surgery. Presurgical nasoalveolar moulding is to align and approximate the alveolar cleft segments while at the same time achieving correction of the nasal cartilage and soft tissue deformity.
  
  
  METHODS
  The device we used is designed by Barry Grayson. It is simple to fabricate, causes less discomfort to the patient and optimum results are achieved in three months of time, compared to other complicated appliances like Latham's which are more invasive. A child of 3 months presented with a complaint of unilateral cleft deformity on one side of the face.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After three months of nasoalveolar moulding considerable changes were observed. The widths of the cleft alveolus were reduced and the nasal contours of columella on the cleft side showed considerable improvement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Royal Dental College, Iron Hills, Chalissery, Palakkad, Kerala India.
authors.forename: Shaju George
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Chammanam
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, Royal Dental College, Iron Hills, Chalissery, Palakkad, Kerala India.
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Biswas
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Royal Dental College, Iron Hills, Chalissery, Palakkad, Kerala India.
authors.forename: Ranjith
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kalliath
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Royal Dental College, Iron Hills, Chalissery, Palakkad, Kerala India.
authors.forename: Siji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chiramel
keywords: Nasal stent; Nasoalveolar moulding; Nonsurgical columella elongation; Presurgical orthopaedics; Unilateral cleft lip and palate