Correction of Alveolar Arch Malalignment After Total Correction in Unilateral and Bilateral Gr Iii Clefts

Abstract

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:Aim of this study is to document and analyse the pre-operative and postoperative alveolar arch impressions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 20 cases of both unilateral and bilateral GR III clefts selected for this study. These patients were operated at the age of not less than 9 months, preferably below the age of 18 months. Below the age of 9 months general condition of these children may not cope up the duration of general anesthesia and amount of surgical trauma. After intubating the patient preoperatively, with the help of custom made metal arch plates, at first, Medical grade Alginate material with optimal hydration used to get negative impression, from these, positive impressions were obtained by the use of optimally hydrated medical grade stone powder routinely used by dental surgeons. These positive impressions along with negative impressions and metal plates allowed to settle down for 10 hours undisturbed, after that positive impressions retrieved carefully without breaking and stored for analysis. Similarly postoperative impressions were taken after a gap of 2 years in the same manner like that of preoperative ones under general anesthesia. Both impressions were compared and analysis was done regarding alveolar arch malalignment, asymmetry and arch collapse correction. RESULTS & CONCLUSION: The status of the alveolar arch after single stage operation for cleft lip and palate in the unilateral cleft was much improved and there was considerable correction of the arch collapse as well; in the bilateral cleft the correction of the premaxillary protrusion was better appreciated than the degree of correction of the alveolar gap.