Comparison of Early Onset Nasoalveolar Molding With Patients Who Presented for Molding Up to 1 Year of Age.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the effectiveness of nasoalveolar molding (NAM) in infants with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate presenting before and after 6 months of age and justify its use in older infants presenting for treatment.


METHODS
The university NAM protocol was followed for 150 patients who were included in the study. NAM was performed by 1 month of age (group I, n = 50), at 1 to 6 months of age (group II, n = 50), and at 6 months to 1 year of age (group III, n = 50). Seven linear anthropometric measurements were compared using dentofacial models.


RESULTS
Statistical analysis before and after NAM showed that group I had 83, 176, 69, and 142% improvement in intersegment distance, nasal height, nasal dome height, and columella height, respectively. Group II had 53, 44, 30, and 67% improvement. Group III had 45, 38, 28, and 62% improvement.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients in all 3 groups showed improvement with the NAM protocol. Although patients who presented for treatment before 1 month of age benefited the most, those who presented at 6 months to 1 year of age benefited as much from NAM as those who presented at 1 to 6 months, thus validating its use in these patients.
Director, Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Craniofacial Surgery, K.S. Hegde Charitable Hospital, Nitte University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India. Electronic address: vshetty@hotmail.com.
Vikram
V
Shetty
Dental Officer and Graded Specialist in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Corps Dental Unit, P-8 Khulna Marg, Sultania Infantry Lines, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Ankur
A
Thakral
Assistant Professor, A.B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Nitte University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
Chandni
C
Sreekumar
D000367:Age Factors; D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology*; D059925:Anatomic Landmarks / Q000473:pathology; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D003724:Dental Arch / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008046:Lip / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology; D055171:Nasal Cartilages / Q000473:pathology; D009666:Nose / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology*; D009989:Orthotic Devices; D010158:Palatal Obturators; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome