Two-phase orthodontic treatment in a unilateral cleft lip and palate patient with 1-year follow-up results

Abstract

Treatment of a patient with cleft lip and palate can be challenging. A 10-year and 10-month-old girl presented with uneven and crowded teeth. She had unilateral cleft lip and palate on left side for which she had undergone primary lip repair and palatoplasty when she was younger. On examination, she had concave facial appearance, crossbite of upper arch with reverse overjet of 2 mm, wits appraisal of 6 mm and impacted 23. She was treated with two-phase orthodontic treatment; growth modification appliances followed by fixed mechanotherapy. Total treatment time was 5 years. 1-year follow-up shows that results have been stable with good facial aesthetics and functional occlusion.