title: Volumetric assessment of alveolar clefts: a literature review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To conduct a review of the literature on methods for volumetric assessment of alveolar clefts and ascertain which methods are most precise to guide future research.
  
  
  METHODS
  The PubMed and MEDLINE databases were searched for English-language reports of clinical and in vitro studies with detailed descriptions of imaging modality, sample characteristics, and method for measurement of alveolar cleft volume.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The search strategy yielded 34 articles, of which 14 were selected for in-depth analysis. According to the findings of computed tomography (CT)-based studies, the CT modalities and software employed for assessment were deemed reliable and satisfactory.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Measurement of alveolar cleft volume by the proposed methods and using the equipment and software employed in the analyzed studies has high efficacy and efficiency and can be safely used for cleft lip and palate treatment planning.
authors.affiliation: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Trauma, School of Dentistry, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: João Batista
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9561-9767
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Blessmann Weber
authors.affiliation: Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, PUCRS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luciane
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: de Macedo Menezes
authors.affiliation: Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, PUCRS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fabiane
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Azeredo
authors.affiliation: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Trauma, School of Dentistry, Centro Universitário Tiradentes (UNIT), Maceió, AL, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luciano Schwartz
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Lessa Filho
mesh_terms: D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; D006801:Humans
keywords: alveolar bone grafting; cleft lip; cleft palate; cone-beam computed tomography