A randomised prospective clinical trial into the effect of infant orthopaedics on maxillary arch dimensions in unilateral cleft lip and palate (Dutchcleft).
Eur J Oral Sci. 2001 Oct; 109(5):297-305.EJ

Abstract

Aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of infant orthopaedics (IO) on maxillary dimensions in infants with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP). The study design was a prospective two-arm randomised controlled trial in parallel with three participating academic Cleft Palate Centres. Treatment was assigned by means of a computerised balanced allocation method. One group (IO+) wore passive maxillary plates during the first year of life, the other group (IO-) did not. Maxillary casts, made at birth, and at 15, 24, 48, 78 wk were digitised three-dimensionally. Before lip closure alveolar, midpalatal and posterior cleft width reduced significantly more in IO(+) than in IO(-). After lip closure, the alveolar cleft width reduced significantly more in IO(-). Until soft palate closure the slope of the palatal vault flattened significantly by IO. It is concluded that IO only has a temporary effect on maxillary arch dimensions that does not last beyond surgical soft palate closure. Therefore, infant orthopaedics as a tool to improve maxillary arch form could be abandoned. However, other outcome variables like facial and dental appearance, speech outcome, and cost-effectiveness need to be investigated further in order to assess the comprehensive effect of infant orthopaedics.

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Authors+Show Affiliations

Prahl C
Department of Orthodontics, University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Kuijpers-Jagtman AM
No affiliation info available
van't Hof MA
No affiliation info available
Prahl-Andersen B
No affiliation info available

MeSH

Alveolar ProcessAnalysis of VarianceCephalometryCleft LipCleft PalateCost-Benefit AnalysisDental ArchDental ModelsFollow-Up StudiesHumansImage Processing, Computer-AssistedInfantLipMaxillaObserver VariationPalatal ObturatorsPalate, SoftProspective StudiesReproducibility of ResultsSingle-Blind MethodStatistics as TopicTreatment Outcome

Pub Type(s)

Clinical Trial
Journal Article
Multicenter Study
Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Language

eng

PubMed ID

11695749