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Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate whether a low-dose cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) protocol provides diagnostically acceptable image quality for assessing bone healing after alveolar bone grafting., Material and Methods: The study cohort comprised 11 patients (aged 7-14 years) with orofacial clefts who had undergone alveolar bone grafting at Skåne University Hospital in Malmö, Sweden. During the postsurgical follow-up at 6 months, each patient was assessed twice: once with a standard-dose CBCT protocol and once with a low-dose CBCT protocol, which in total corresponds to one CBCT examination made with the exposure settings recommended by the manufacturer. Among others, the assessed parameters included subjective image quality, as well as bone graft height, thickness, and integration., Results: No significant differences were found between the standard- and low-dose protocols for most parameters (p > 0.05). Exceptions included subjective image quality (one observer, p = 0.05) and confidence levels during the assessment (three observers, p = 0.01, 0.01, 0.02)., Conclusions: The low-dose protocol yielded adequate image quality for postoperative CBCT healing assessment in patients who have undergone alveolar bone grafting. However, the confidence level of observers during the assessment with the low-dose protocol was reduced. This study is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06395077)., Clinical Trial Registration: This study is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06395077)., (© 2024 The Author(s). Clinical and Experimental Dental Research published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: Cleft lip and palate are the most common congenital malformations in the craniofacial region, occurring at a rate of 1:700 births in Brazil. These conditions lead to functional impacts on patients, such as changes in breathing, teeth, speech, chewing, swallowing and sucking. Treatment begins with primary surgeries, including lip and palate repair, which aim to reconstruct the soft tissues. Secondary alveolar bone grafting (SABG) reconstructs the bone defect in the cleft region, with the main goal of supplying bone tissue to the cleft region and restore the continuity of the alveolar process. To measure the changes in cross-sectional areas (CSAs) and nasal volume in patients and their impact on the nasal cavity (NC) in the two-month postoperative period (PO2M)., Methodology: This study included 15 patients with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate (U/CLP) indicated for alveolar bone grafting (ABG). Cone beam computed tomography scans obtained prior to SABG and at PO2M were compared. Nasal volumes and CSAs were measured by marking the masks delimiting the nasal cavity on CT scans using Mimics™ software., Results: NC volumes (total, right and left sides) were statistically lower at PO2M in patients with left-sided UCLP. In right-sided UCLP, these volumes were only significant for the total NC and left NC. The CSAs of the internal nasal valve in both groups showed significantly lower values compared to the preoperative period (p≤0.05)., Conclusion: In the short term, alveolar bone graft surgery reduces the volume of nasal cavities and the cross-sectional areas of the right and left internal nasal valve as a whole, not only the cleft area where the graft material was placed.

Objectives: To review the effectiveness of secondary alveolar bone grafting using iliac cancellous bone in patients with unilateral complete alveolar cleft and to investigate the factors influencing it., Methods: A retrospective study of 160 patients with unilateral complete alveolar clefts who underwent iliac cancellous bone graft repair at the Department of Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, was conducted. Eighty patients in the young age group (6-12 years) and 80 in the old age group (≥13 years) were included. Bone bridge formation was determined using Mimics software, and the volume was measured to calculate the iliac implantation rate, residual bone filling rate, and resorption rate. The factors that affected bone grafting in both subgroups were investigated., Results: Using bone bridge formation as the clinical success criterion, the success rate for the entire population was 71.25%, with a significant difference of 78.75% and 63.75% for the young and old age groups, respectively ( P =0.036). The gap volume in the latter was significantly larger than that in the former ( P <0.001). The factors that influenced bone grafting in the young group were the palatal bone wall ( P =0.006) and history of cleft palate surgery ( P =0.012), but only the palatal bone wall affected the outcome in the old age group ( P =0.036)., Conclusions: The results of alveolar bone grafting for the old age group were worse than those for the young age group. The palatal bone wall was an important factor that affected alveolar bone grafting, and alveolar bone grafting in the young patients was influenced by the history of cleft palate surgery.

Alveolar cleft is one of the key links of cleft lip and palate reconstruction due to its close relationship with tooth and jaw coordination and nasolabial deformity. The alveolar bone graft repairs the hole in the gum ridge and stabilizes the bone arch, providing better support for the base of the nose and new bone for the roots of the developing teeth to grow into. Unfortunately, bone graft failure in the traditional way, even among minor clefts, bony hypoplasia, or absence that affects the nasal base and piriform rim, is common. Two-stage alveolar bone grafting, which has advantages in addressing the underlying skeleton and deficiency, could be an optional surgical procedure for nasal floor reconstruction in adult patients with a broad alveolar cleft.

Background: Machine learning based auto-segmentation of 3D images has been developed rapidly in recent years. However, the application of this new method in the research of patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) is very limited. In this study, a machine learning algorithm utilizing 3D U-net was used to automatically segment the maxilla, fill the cleft and evaluate the alveolar bone graft in UCLP patients. Cleft related factors and the surgery impact on the development of maxilla were analyzed., Methods: Preoperative and postoperative computed tomography images of 32 patients (64 images) were obtained. The deep-learning-based protocol was used to segment the maxilla and defect, followed by manual refinement. Paired t-tests and Mann-Whitney tests were performed to reveal the changes of the maxilla after surgery. Two-factor, two-level analysis for repeated measurement was used to examine the different trends of growth on the cleft and non-cleft sides of the maxilla. Pearson and Spearman correlations were used to explore the relationship between the defect and the changes of the maxillary cleft side., Results: One-year after the alveolar bone grafting surgery, different growth amount was found on the cleft and non-cleft sides of maxilla. The maxillary length (from 34.64 ± 2.48 to 35.67 ± 2.45 mm) and the alveolar length (from 36.58 ± 3.21 to 37.63 ± 2.94 mm) increased significantly only on the cleft side while the maxillary anterior width (from 11.61 ± 1.61 to 12.01 ± 1.41 mm) and posterior width (from 29.63 ± 2.25 to 30.74 ± 2.63 mm) increased significantly only on the non-cleft side after surgery. Morphology of the cleft was found to be related to the pre-surgical maxillary dimension on the cleft side, while its correlation with the change of the maxilla after surgery was low or not statistically significant., Conclusion: The auto-segmentation of the maxilla and the cleft could be performed very efficiently and accurately with the machine learning method. Asymmetric growth was found on the cleft and non-cleft sides of the maxilla after alveolar bone graft in UCLP patients. The morphology of the cleft mainly contributed to the pre-operation variance of the maxilla but had little impact on the maxilla growth after surgery., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The purpose of treating alveolar bone cleft is to restore a normal maxilla structure. Multiple factors have been identified that can affect the success of alveolar bone grafting. However, with consistent treatment modifications, the surgical outcomes have been improved, but alveolar bone loss still exists. Thus, a new aspect should be found to solve this problem. As alveolar bone belongs to the periodontal tissues, the mechanism of the alveolar bone loss after bone grafting in patients with alveolar bone cleft may be similar to the development of alveolar bone loss in periodontitis. Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) has been demonstrated as a key promoter of alveolar bone loss during periodontal inflammation. We hypothesized that cfDNA-related innate immune responses could be a major inducement for postoperative bone loss after alveolar bone grafting. In this perspective, we preliminarily proved the potential association between cfDNA, TLR9 pathway, and alveolar bone grafting operation, and it might verify that surgical trauma could accumulate cfDNA, which can further activate cellular TLR9 signaling., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Huang, Yang and Shi.)

Background: Secondary alveolar bone grafting (SABG) is an integral part of the treatment for cleft lip and alveolus and cleft lip and palate. However, the outcome of SABG was not satisfactory as expected, factors that affecting the outcome were still controversial. The aims of this study were to summarize a new method for the classification of alveolar cleft morphology in patients with unilateral cleft lip and alveolus or unilateral cleft lip and palate, to evaluate the correlation between the morphology and SABG outcomes, to identify factors that might predict the outcomes., Methods: The characteristics of the cleft morphologies of 120 patients who underwent SABG were observed using the preoperative Cone-Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) images. 52 patients who had CBCT scans performed at least 6 months after SABG were included for the evaluation of outcomes. Both categorical and continuous evaluation methods were measured. Correlations between cleft morphology and SABG outcomes were assessed using the Pearson correlation coefficient in SPSS 27.0.0., Results: A new method for the classification of cleft morphology was summarized:type I, prism type (labial defect size ≥ palatal defect size; nasal defect size ≥ occlusal defect size); type II, prism' type (labial defect ≥ palatal defect; nasal defect < occlusal defect); type III, inverted prism type (palatal defect ≥ labial defect); type IV, funnel type (presented as a significantly narrow defect area in the middle towards the vertical dimension); and type V, undefinable (extremely irregular morphology can't be defined as any of the above types). Categorical evaluation showed 8 failure, 11 poor, 12 moderate, and 21 good results, while the average bone filling rate was 59.24 ± 30.68%. There was a significant correlation between the cleft morphology and categorical/continuous evaluation outcome (p < 0.05)., Conclusion: The new method for the classification of alveolar cleft morphology summarized in this study was comprehensive and convenient for clinical application. Both categorical and continuous methods should be used for radiographic assessments in patients undergoing SABG. The chances of a successful procedure might be better when the patient has type I or IV morphology, in which the shape is like a funnel in the relatively palatal or occlusal area towards the vertical dimension. A relatively great amount of bone resorption was observed in most patients. Trial registration Chinese clinical trial registry; registration number: ChiCTR2100054438., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Alveolar bone grafting (ABG) is broadly performed for cleft lip and palate patients. The rate of canine impaction post-ABG is much higher than the prevalence of canine impaction in non-cleft patients. This pilot study was designed to investigate factors involved in canine eruption failure after ABG and to predict the possibility of canine impaction in unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) patients. This retrospective observational study examined 45 patients with UCLP (mean age 7.9 years) classified into an impacted group (n = 9) and a spontaneously erupted group (n = 36). From 3D images, we measured lateral incisor presence or absence, lateral incisor position on the cleft side, canine position, movement change, cleft volume, and canine and first premolar overlap-area. Multivariate logistic regression analysis using independent variables indicated significant differences in results, selecting highly relevant items. Multivariate analysis indicated a significant association between the overlap-area between the canine and the first premolar at pre-ABG (p = 0.038) and the distance between the cleft side cusp tips of canine and the lateral cleft margin of pre-ABG (p = 0.005). Results suggest that canine impaction is predictable at an early stage in pre-ABG and show the possibility of comprehensive diagnosis of canine impaction using computed tomography., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Objectives: to identify patients' and informal caregivers' questions related to alveolar bone graft post-operative care., Methods: analytical and cross-sectional study, developed in a public and tertiary hospital between October 2017 and February 2018. The sample consisted of 46 participants. Data collection occurred during the preoperative nursing consultation through interview. The doubts were described in a form prepared by the researchers and later grouped by similarity of the subject., Results: doubts referred to diet (type of food, consistency, temperature and time period), surgical wound care (oral hygiene, graft rejection, removal of surgical points), post-operative complications (bleeding and edema), convalescence period (sun exposure, physical effort, time away from activities, length of stay) and medications., Conclusions: identifying the doubts allowed planning and implementing nursing care focused on the real needs of the clientele, favoring the rehabilitation process.

With the rapid development of tissue engineering therapies, there is a growing interest in the application of recombinant human growth factors (rhGFs) to regenerate human orofacial bones. However, despite reports of their ability to promote orofacial bone regeneration in animal experiments, their benefits in human clinical treatments remain unclear. Furthermore, the appropriate concentrations or indications of a specific rhGF remain ambiguous. Therefore it is essential to collect data from diverse clinical trials to evaluate their effects more precisely. Here we reviewed randomized clinical trials (RCT) that focused on the utilization of rhGFs in orofacial bone regeneration. Data from included studies were extracted, pooled and then quantitatively analyzed according to a pre-established protocol. Our results indicate that all current concentrations of rhBMP-2 produces insufficient effect on promoting either tooth extraction socket healing, sinus augmentation or reconstruction of alveolar clefts. However, 0.3 mg/ml rhPDGF-BB promotes the healing of tooth extraction sockets, though the effect does not reach a level of statistical significance. Summarily, we recommend concentrations of 0.3 mg/ml rhPDGF-BB only for the healing of tooth extraction sockets.

Background: A systematic review assessing autologous versus alloplastic bone for secondary alveolar bone grafting in patients with cleft lip and palate was published in 2011 and included only one randomized controlled trial comparing traditional iliac bone graft to recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rh-BMP2)., Objectives: To perform a systematic review with meta-analysis on the use of secondary alveolar bone grafting (autologous bone and rh-BMP2 graft) in order to improve bone volume and height in patients with cleft lip and palate., Data Sources: An electronic search was conducted via PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CONTROL) via Cochrane Library, EMBASE via Ovid, and LILAC for studies published between January 2008 and September 2018. The systematic review registration number at PROSPERO was 42018085858., Eligibility Criteria: Only RCTs were included. Inclusion criteria were patients with the diagnosis of unilateral cleft lip and palate older than 5 years of age, radiographic evaluation (CT and/or CBCT) of the cleft area, and at least a 6-month follow-up., Main Outcome Measures: Bone formation and bone height by radiographic CT evaluation (preoperatively, after 6 months and after 1 year of follow-up) and length of hospital stay were assessed., Results: Four studies met strict inclusion criteria. Autologous bone graft showed statistically significant higher bone formation after 6-month follow-up (MD - 14.410; 95% CI - 22.392 to - 6.428; p = 0.000). No statistically significant difference was noted after a 1-year follow-up (MD 6.227; 95% CI - 15.967 to 28.422; p = 0.582). No statistically significant difference in bone height was noted after 6-month (MD - 18.737; 95% CI - 43.560 to 6.087; p = 0.139) and 1-year follow-up (MD - 4.401; 95% CI - 30.636 to 21.834; p = 0.742). Patients who underwent rh-BMP2 graft had a statistically significant reduced hospital stay (MD - 1.146; 95% CI - 2.147 to - 0.145; p = 0.025)., Limitations: The main limitation is the high risk of bias among included studies., Conclusion: Autologous bone and rh-BMP2 graft showed a similar effectiveness in maxillary alveolar reconstruction in patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate assessing bone graft volume and height although rh-BMP2 graft showed a relative shorter length of hospital stay (high uncertainty level).

Objectives: To compare parameters related to impacted canines at the cleft versus the normal contralateral side and with non-impacted canines at the cleft side in unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) patients. We also aim to search for possible associated parameters enabling prediction of canine impaction in these patients., Materials and Methods: Ninety-five non-syndromic UCLP patients were included and divided into group A (n = 41 patients) with unilateral impacted canines at the cleft side (A1) and spontaneously erupted canines at the non-cleft side (A2) and group B with spontaneously erupted canines at the cleft side (n = 54 patients). Clinical information and radiographic parameters on panoramic radiographs were collected and compared between groups using a generalized linear mixed model, a Mann-Whitney U-test, a Fisher's exact test, and receiver operating characteristic tests., Results: Impaction of the maxillary canine at the cleft side in UCLP patients can be suspected in case of delayed canine root development, a higher vertical position and sector score (P < 0.05) and higher angles between the canine and the midline, as well as between canine and lateral incisor and between first premolar (P < 0.001). Results clearly indicate that the erupting canine position at the cleft side, even when not impacted, is different from the non-cleft side., Conclusion: There is a great risk for canine impaction at the cleft side in UCLP patients when the canine position is more apical than one-third of the root of the adjacent lateral incisor and when the angles between canine and midline and between canine and first premolar are higher than 23.82 and 16.1 degrees, respectively. These associated parameters should have to be studied in a prospective setting to confirm their predictive value.

The lack of guidelines for bone augmentation procedures might compromise decision making in implantology. The objective of this study was to perform a retrospective study to verify the outcomes of horizontal bone reconstruction in implant dentistry with different types of materials and amounts of native bone in the recipient bed to allow for a new guideline for horizontal bone reconstruction. One hundred preoperative CT scans were retrospectively evaluated and categorized in accordance to horizontal bone defects as presence (Group P) or absence (Group A) of cancellous bone in the recipient bed. Different approaches were used to treat the edentulous ridge and the outcomes were defined either as satisfactory or unsatisfactory regarding the possibility of implant placement. The percentage distribution of the patients according to the presence or absence of cancellous bone was 92% for Group P and 8% for Group A. In Group P, 98% of the patients had satisfactory outcomes, and the use of autografts had 100% of satisfactory outcomes in this group. In Group A, 37.5% of the patients had satisfactory outcomes, and the use of autografts also yielded 100% of satisfactory outcomes. The use of allografts and xenografts in Group A had 0% and 33.3% of satisfactory outcomes, respectively. Therefore, it seems reasonable to speculate that the presence of cancellous bone might be predictive and predictable when the decision includes bone substitutes. In cases of absence of cancellous bone in the recipient bed, the use of a vitalized graft seems to be mandatory.

Concentrated growth factor (CGF) is an autogenuous product that contains highly concentrated number of platelets and can be derived from venous blood by selective centrifugation. It has been speculated that local growth factors in human platelets (insulinlike growth factor, IGF; transforming growth factor, TGF-b; platelet derived growth factor, PDGF) would enhance healing of grafts and also counteract resorption. The osteogensis effect of CGF and acellular dermal matrix (ADM) for alveolar cleft defects was evaluated in this study. Twenty alveolar cleft patients were divided randomly into two groups. One group underwent guided bone regeneration (GBR) using acellular dermal matrix film combined with alveolar bone grafting using iliac crest bone grafts (GBR group), while the other group underwent alveolar bone grafting combined with CGF (CGF group). Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images were obtained at 1 week and 6 months following the procedure. Using Mimics 17.0 software, the bone resorption rate and bone density improvement rate were calculated and compared between the two groups. Although not significant between ADM and CGF in bone resorption rate, the bone density improvement in cases with CGF(61.62 ± 4.728%) was much better than in cases with ADM (27.05 ± 5.607%) (p = 0.0002). Thus, CGF could be recommended to patients with alveolar cleft as a better choice.

Objective This study analyzed the maintenance of lateral incisors in the dental rehabilitation of individuals with cleft lip and palate. Material and Methods The study was conducted on a tertiary craniofacial center and comprised retrospective analysis of panoramic and periapical radiographs of Caucasoid individuals with non-syndromic complete unilateral cleft lip and palate, analyzing all radiographs available on the records of each individual, from the first to the last up to 12 years of age. Overall, 2,826 records were reviewed to achieve a sample of 1,000 individuals. Among these, 487 individuals presented the permanent lateral incisors on both cleft and non-cleft sides, which were included in this study. Results The results were evaluated in percentages and by descriptive statistics. The association between maintenance of the lateral incisor and timing of alveolar bone graft were analyzed by the t test. Among the 487 individuals, 265 had not completed treatment, 62 presented insufficient information, and 44 concluded the treatment elsewhere. Among the remaining 116 individuals, the lateral incisor was extracted from 88 (75.86%) of them on the cleft side (CS) and from 23 (19.83%) people on the non-cleft side (NCS). The age at accomplishment of alveolar bone graft was significantly associated with maintenance of the lateral incisor on the cleft side (p<0.01). Most extractions were indicated because of the inadequate positioning on the CS and for midline correction on the NCS. Rehabilitation was primarily completed by orthodontic movement (53 individuals on the CS and 13 individuals on the NCS). Conclusion In conclusion, the lateral incisor on the cleft side was not maintained in most individuals. Positive relationship was observed between extraction of the lateral incisor and age at accomplishment of the alveolar bone graft, suggesting the need to anticipate the initial radiographic evaluation to enhance its maintenance and reduce the procedures required for rehabilitation.

European and Northern American healthcare authorities increasingly encourage the use of Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) that complement clinical and laboratory assessments to help holistically evaluate reconstructive outcomes. This is the first study to evaluate PROMs in cleft lip/palate patients who have, or have not, undergone secondary alveolar bone grafting (SABG).A PROMs study was conducted; 40 consecutive consenting cleft lip/palate children between 8 and 14 years old were included. Twenty patients did, and 20 patients did not, have SABG. PROMs scores from children and parents in the 2 groups were compared.Forty patients completed the trial. No significant differences in total score from the Chang Gung Short Form-15 (CGSF-15) were found between children and their parents. Children with SABG reported no more oral-nasal regurgitation than children without SABG, but tended to report more nasal obstruction. There were no statistically significant differences in parent reported outcomes between the 2 groups.Cleft lip/palate patients who underwent SABG reported significantly less nasal regurgitation and more nasal obstruction compared to those patients who did not undergo SABG., (Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Alveolar cleft is the most common congenital bone defect. Autologous iliac crest bone graft (ICBG) is the most widely adopted procedure for alveolar cleft repair, but the condition is associated with door-site morbidities. For the first time, this study used bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNCs) combined with beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) granules to repair alveolar bone defect. The effectiveness of this technique was compared with autologous ICBG after 12 months of follow-up. The bone formation volume was quantitatively evaluated by three-dimensional computed tomography and computer aided engineering technology. BMMNCs/β-TCP granule grafting was radiographically equivalent to ICBG in alveolar cleft repair. Although considerable resorption was observed up to 6 months after surgery, no significant differences were noted in the Chelsea score and bone formation volume between groups. These finding indicate that BMMNCs/β-TCP grafting is a safe and effective approach for alveolar bone regeneration.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of three-dimensional preformed titanium membrane (3D-PFTM) to enhance mechanical properties and ability of bone regeneration on the peri-implant bone defect. 3D-PFTMs by new mechanically compressive molding technology and manually shaped- (MS-) PFTMs by hand manipulation were applied in artificial peri-implant bone defect model for static compressive load test and cyclic fatigue load test. In 12 implants installed in the mandibular of three beagle dogs, six 3D-PFTMs, and six collagen membranes (CM) randomly were applied to 2.5 mm peri-implant buccal bone defect with particulate bone graft materials for guided bone regeneration (GBR). The 3D-PFTM group showed about 7.4 times higher mechanical stiffness and 5 times higher fatigue resistance than the MS-PFTM group. The levels of the new bone area (NBA, %), the bone-to-implant contact (BIC, %), distance from the new bone to the old bone (NB-OB, %), and distance from the osseointegration to the old bone (OI-OB, %) were significantly higher in the 3D-PFTM group than the CM group ( p < .001). It was verified that the 3D-PFTM increased mechanical properties which were effective in supporting the space maintenance ability and stabilizing the particulate bone grafts, which led to highly efficient bone regeneration.

Presurgical orthodontic treatment before secondary alveolar bone grafting (SABG) is widely performed for cleft lip/palate patients. However, no randomized controlled trial has been published comparing SABG outcomes in patients with, and without, presurgical orthodontic treatment. This randomized, prospective, single-blinded trial was conducted between January 2012 and April 2015 to compare ABG volumes 6 months postoperatively between patients with and without presurgical orthodontic treatment. Twenty-four patients were enrolled and randomized and 22 patients completed follow-up. Patients who had presurgical orthodontics before SABG had significantly improved inclination (p < 0.001) and rotation (p < 0.001) of the central incisor adjacent to the defect, significantly improved ABG fill volume (0.81 ± 0.26 cm(3) at 6 months compared to 0.59 ± 0.22 cm(3); p < 0.05) and less residual alveolar bone defect (0.31 ± 0.08 cm(3) at 6 months compared to s 0.55 ± 0.14 cm(3); p < 0.001) compared to patients who did not have presurgical orthodontic treatment. In conclusion, orthodontic treatment combined with SABG results in superior bone volume when compared with conventional SABG alone.

Objectives: In bilateral cleft lip/palate patients, sometimes the premaxilla is severely protruded and twisted. In such situations premaxillary osteotomy is beneficial. In this article a new technique for fixation of premaxilla after osteotomy is presented., Methods: The lip-split approach and premaxillary osteotomy and ostectomy from bony nasal septum were carried out. Fixation of osteotomized premaxilla was achieved with low profile miniplate or microplate. Bone grafting of that side was performed during the same session., Results: This procedure was performed in three patients, with good labial repair after the lip split. The bone graft was successful in all the three cases and there were no complication for premaxillary osteotomy in this series., Conclusion: In protruding premaxilla, osteotomy and fixation of premaxilla with miniplate to the vomer bone during alveolar bone grafting through a lip-split approach yielded satisfactory results in patients requiring secondary functional cheilorhinoplasty., (Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Taiwan.)

Objective: We explored the expressions of the Notch and Wnt signaling pathways and their significance in the repair process of alveolar bone defects by establishing animal models with a composite of autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) to repair bone defects in the extraction sockets of rabbits., Methods: A total of 36 two-month-old male New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into four groups, and the left mandibular incisors of all the rabbits were subjected to minimally invasive removalunder general anesthesia. BMSC-PRF compounds, single PRF, and single BMSC were implanted in Groups A, B, and C. No material was implanted in Group D (blank control). The animals were sacrificed at 4, 8 and 12 weeks after surgery, the bone defect was immediately drawn, and the bone specimens underwent surgery after four, eight, and twelve weeks, with three rabbits per time point. The expressions of Notch1 and Wnt3a in the repair process of the bone defect were measured via immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence detection., Results: Immunohistochemistry showed that the expressions of Notch1 and Wnt3a in Groups A, B, and C were higher than that in Group D at the fourth and eighth week after operation (P<0.05). By contrast, the expressions of Notch1 and Wnt3a in Group D were higher than those in Groups A, B, and C at the twelfth week (P<0.05). Immunofluorescence showed that the expressions of both Notch1 and Wnt3a reached their peaks in the new bone cells of the bone defect after four weeks following surgery and gradually disappeared when the bone was repaired completely., Conclusion: Notch1 and Wnt3a signaling molecules are expressed in the process of repairing bone defects using BMSC-PRF composites and can accelerate the healing by regulating the proliferation and differentiation of BMSCs. Moreover, the expressions of Notch and Wnt are similar, and a crosstalk between them may exist it.

Purpose: Bone grafting of the alveolus has become an essential part of the contemporary surgical management of the oral cleft. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the results of bone grafting in association with PRP (plateletrich plasma) to enhance osteogenesis and osteointegration., Patients and Methods: The study included 16 patients, aged between 9 and 11, affected with unilateral residual alveolar clefts, who underwent bone grafting using secondary alveoplasty. The eight patients belonging to the control group were administered autologous bone graft alone while the study group, consisting of 8 patients, underwent autologous bone grafting in association with PRP. All patients had pre and post surgery orthodontic treatment. The statistical analyses included Student's t test, 2 test and Kaplan-Meir time to event analysis. The p-value was considered significant if p<0.05. All statistical analyses were performed using SAS Software release 9.3 (SAS Institute, Cary, Nc)., Results: The control group (M 50%, mean age 10.2±2.3) underwent simple autologous bone graft while the study group (M 62.5%, mean age 9.9±2.2) was treated with a combination of autologous bone and PRP. No statistically significant differences were found between the two groups as regards age, gender and labial-palatal cleft clinical characteristics. 6, 12, 24 month follow-ups were performed by means of clinical and radiographic investigations. None of the study group developed oronasal fistulas or experienced bone height, bone bridging and bone quality loss; only two patients developed mild periodontal problems. The study group was able to undergo a significantly (p<0.001) earlier and shorter orthodontic treatment., Conclusions: In our experience, the use of PRP enhances the quality of osteoplasty, accelerates "creeping substitution" and bone healing and favours earlier orthodontic treatment., Key Words: Alveolar cleft, Bone grafting, Palate, Platelet-rich plasma.

The effects of a large-piece of xenogeneic bone that was separated from healthy pigs as a scaffold for the repair of a mandibular defect was investigated, and the applicability of antigen-extracted xenogeneic cancellous bone (AXCB) soaked with recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) in bone defect repair was assessed. Mandibular defects were created in 48 New Zealand rabbits, and the animals were randomly divided into four groups, in which the mandibular defects were grafted with AXCB, AXCB soaked with rhBMP-2, and autograft bone, or left blank. An equal number of animals from each group were classified into three time points (4, 8, and 12 weeks) after surgery for gross pathological observation, hematoxylin and eosin (H and E) staining, radiographic examination, and bone density measurement. H and E staining revealed that the area percentage of bone regeneration in the group of the AXCB/rhBMP-2 graft was 27.72 ± 4.68, 53.90 ± 21.92, and 77.35 ± 9.83 at 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks, respectively. These results were better than those of the autogenous bone graft, suggesting that the group of the AXCB/rhBMP-2 graft achieved a good osteogenic effect. With regard to the AXCB graft without rhBMP-2, the area percentage of bone regeneration was only 14.03 ± 5.02, 28.49 ± 11.35, and 53.90 ± 21.92. Therefore, the osteogenic effect of the AXCB/rhBMP-2 graft was demonstrated to have the best effect. In the group of the AXCB/rhBMP-2 graft, the area percentage of bone regeneration increased, and the implanted materials were gradually degraded and replaced by autogenous bone regeneration over time. We conclude that the AXCB graft soaked with rhBMP-2 showed good osteogenic effect in the repair of bone defects and good biocompatibility. AXCB serves as a good carrier of rhBMP-2, which promotes bone formation., (Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Taiwan.)

Objective: To compare the effect of secondary alveolar bone graft (SABG) on the tooth development stage of the maxillary central incisor (MXCI) and maxillary canine (MXC) in terms of the severity of unilateral cleft., Materials and Methods: The subjects consisted of 50 boys with unilateral cleft lip and alveolus (UCLA) or unilateral cleft lip, alveolus, and palate (UCLP). The age- and sex-matched subjects were divided into group 1 (UCLA, n = 25; 9.3 ± 0.8 years old) and group 2 (UCLP, n = 25; 9.4 ± 0.6 years old). In panoramic radiographs taken 1 month before (T0) and 1 year after SABG (T1), tooth development stage was evaluated according to the Nolla developmental (ND) stage. A panoramic radiograph taken 3 years after SABG was used as a reference for the final root length of individual tooth., Results: In groups 1 and 2, the ND stage of the MXCI did not exhibit differences between the cleft and non-cleft sides at T0 and T1, respectively. However, although the ND stage of the MXC of group 2 was delayed on the cleft side compared with the non-cleft side at T0 (P < .05), the MXC on the cleft side developed faster than that on the non-cleft side after SABG (P < .01). In terms of tooth development speed, group 2 showed a higher rate of faster developed MXCs on the cleft side compared with the non-cleft side after SABG than group 1 (36.0% vs 8.0%, P < .05)., Conclusion: SABG performed at approximately 9 years of age might increase tooth development speed of MXC in patients with UCLP compared with patients with UCLA.

Objectives: To quantify the treatment outcome of secondary alveolar bone grafting (SABG) in individuals with unilateral cleft lip and palate using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and to reveal needs for improvement in surgical technique., Material and Methods: CBCT images taken 6 months after SABG of 35 patients were analysed. Vertical and horizontal bone supports of the grafted bone at three levels of the roots of the adjacent teeth were classified, the height of the nasal floor was compared with the unaffected side, and the inter- and intraexaminer reproducibility of these evaluations was assessed., Results: The grafted bone filled the defect in all three vertical measurement levels in 34 per cent. The labiopalatal thickness of the grafted bone was good in at least one-third of the root length in 66 per cent and fair in 34 per cent. Typically, the bone graft was deficient in the apical and palatal direction. Clear asymmetry in the nasal floor was found in 72 per cent. Kappa values indicated excellent agreement for all but one measured parameter., Limitations: This is a preliminary study involving only a limited number of study subjects., Conclusions: Our results showed mainly a good or fair treatment outcome. Deficiency of the bone graft was observed mostly in the apical and palatal areas of the defect. Asymmetry of the nasal floor was observed frequently. Careful insertion of the bone graft towards the palatal and apical direction of the cleft is recommended., (© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Orthodontic Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Introduction: Secondary bone grafting consists in a routine procedure on the treatment of patients with alveolar cleft. Usually, it is performed by the end of the mixed dentition, when the permanent canine is erupting, with autogenous cancellous bone from the iliac crest., Objective: The present article discusses the alternative of autogenous bone grafting with allogeneic bone, obtained from human bone bank, illustrating the result with the report of a clinical case of left unilateral alveolar cleft.

Secondary alveolar bone grafting is a method that enables an excellent oral rehabilitation of the patients having cleft palate. Many types of bone grafts have been used for reconstruction of the cleft, including autogenous bone and bone substitutes. Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) has been shown to be effective in grafting the defect. The aim of this presentation is to report the closure of an alveolar cleft with the use of symphyseal bone grafts harvested with platelet rich fibrin under local anesthesia. PRF may be a good treatment choice depending on the early radiographical view of the defect and uneventfull healing.

Aim: The present case report describes the importance of interdisciplinary approach and gives an understanding on management of an adolescent with unilateral cleft lip and palate., Background: Failure of fusion between medial nasal process and maxillary process or between the palatal process leads to the formation of clefts. Clefts are result of genetic or environmental factors or a combination of both. Common dental problems associated with clefts includes anterior and posterior crossbites, hypodontia, malformation and abnormal eruption pattern., Case Report: A girl, aged 15 years reported with a chief complaint of unesthetic appearance of her maxillary anterior teeth. She had unilateral cleft lip and palate and had received cheiloplasty and palatoplasty when she was in young age and rhinoplasty when she was 14 years of age. At pretreatment evaluation, she had concave profile with maxillary arch constriction and oroantral fistula and mesially tipped maxillary left canine., Conclusion: This patient's treatment was unconventional, but it was successful in significantly improving her masticatory function and smile, along with favorable dental and facial results. Generalized esthetics and function were significantly improved in this patient without orthognathic surgery, and treatment results were stable 3 years after the appliance removal. Clinical considerations, sequencing of treatment phases as shown in this case report can be utilized while treating an adolescent with cleft lip and palate., Clinical Significance: If the skeletal discrepancy is mild and esthetic concerns are minimal, dental compensation by orthodontic treatment alone might be recommended. The cephalometric analysis and prediction tracings provide further information for deciding whether a patient can be treated by orthodontics alone, or by orthodontics and an orthognathic surgical procedure. A change in axial inclination of the teeth can camouflage the skeletal relationship adequately. However, one should be cautious in a growing patient, because he or she might outgrow the dental correction so that ultimately skeletal surgery would be indicated.