title: Orthodontically guided bone transport in the treatment of alveolar cleft: A case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Conventional treatments are sometimes not possible in certain alveolar cleft cases due to the severity of the gap which separates the fragments. Various management strategies have been proposed, including sequential surgical interventions or delaying treatment until adulthood to then carry out maxillary osteotomies. A further alternative approach has also been proposed, involving the application of bone transport techniques to mobilise the osseous fragments and thereby reduce the gap between lateral fragments and the premaxilla.
  
  
  METHODS
  We introduce the case of a 10-year-old patient who presented with a bilateral alveolar cleft and a severe gap. Stable occlusion between the premaxilla and the mandible was achieved following orthodontic treatment, making it inadvisable to perform a retrusive osteotomy of the premaxilla in order to close the alveolar clefts. Faced with this situation, it was decided we would employ a bone transport technique under orthodontic guidance using a dental splint. This would enable an osseous disc to be displaced towards the medial area and reduce the interfragmentary distance. During a second surgical intervention, closure of the soft tissues was performed and the gap was filled in using autogenous bone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of bone transport techniques in selected cases allows closure of the osseous defect, whilst also preserving soft tissues and reducing the amount of bone autograft required. In our case, we were able to respect the position of the premaxilla and, at the same time, generate new tissues at both an alveolar bone and soft tissue level with results which have remained stable over the course of time.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Alveolar cleft, bone transport, graft.
authors: MD, Servicio Cirugía Oral y Maxilofacial Hospital Universitario La Paz. Paseo la Castellana 261, Madrid.
authors: Estefanía
authors: E
authors: Alonso-Rodríguez
authors: MD, PhD, Servicio Cirugía Oral y Maxilofacial Hospital Universitario La Paz. Paseo la Castellana 261, Madrid.
authors: Elena
authors: E
authors: Gómez
authors: MD, Servicio Cirugía Oral y Maxilofacial Hospital Universitario La Paz. Paseo la Castellana 261, Madrid.
authors: Marta
authors: M
authors: Otero
authors: DMD, Ortodoncia Mirasierra. C/Moralzarzal 80, Madrid.
authors: Rosario
authors: R
authors: Berraquero
authors: DMD, Ortodoncia Mirasierra. C/Moralzarzal 80, Madrid.
authors: Begona
authors: B
authors: Wucherpfennig
authors: MD, Servicio Cirugía Oral y Maxilofacial Hospital Universitario La Paz. Paseo la Castellana 261, Madrid.
authors: Juan
authors: J
authors: Hernández-Godoy
authors: MD, Servicio Cirugía Oral y Maxilofacial Hospital Universitario La Paz. Paseo la Castellana 261, Madrid.
authors: Jorge
authors: J
authors: Guiñales
authors: CDT, Vincentdental. Laboratorio Maxilofacial. C/La Palma, 74, Madrid.
authors: Germán
authors: G
authors: Vincent
authors: MD, PhD, Servicio Cirugía Oral y Maxilofacial Hospital Universitario La Paz. Paseo la Castellana 261, Madrid.
authors: Miguel
authors: M
authors: Burgueño