Maxillary development in six unilateral cleft lip and palate children treated with passive orthopaedic plates

Abstract

The effect of 'passive' orthopaedic plates was studied in six UCLP children with roentgen stereometry and on dental casts. Displacement of the cleft and non-cleft maxillary bone was irregular, asymmetric and modeSt. The effect of treatment must be regarded as unpredictable. An almost consistent finding was a forward (favourable) translation of the cleft maxilla relative to the non-cleft maxilla during and after treatment. Appositional growth of the dental arches i.e. decrease or increase in vertical height showed considerable variation from 0.3 mm resorption in 212 days to 3.1 mm apposition in 294 days. The stereometric findings suggest that the conventional presentation of changes in alveolar arch morphology studied on dental casts should be questioned as it assumes symmetry in the position of the tuberosities during growth and development. An alternative presentation based on a reference within the non-cleft maxilla is proposed. © 1988 European Orthodontic Society.