Skeletal and Dental Habilitation of Residual Alveolar and Maxillary Clefts.

ABSTRACT: Management of residual clefts of the alveolus and maxilla requires the coordinated effort of multiple members of the craniofacial team including surgeon, orthodontist, and when teeth are hypoplastic or absent, the prosthodontist to achieve complete habilitation. Such cooperation among specialists begins early in the patient's life and continues through completion of care.Although numerous publications on this topic exist, few present definitive multidisciplinary reconstructive outcomes with longterm results. In this review paper, the authors present our comprehensive, multidisciplinary protocols, experience, and techniques as they have evolved with over 35 years of practice at our Craniofacial Center.Details of our updated protocols for each intervention and procedure, including our current thoughts on appropriate timing, follow up and advantages from the incorporation of current technologies are discussed. Close cooperation among specialists at all stages of care, the use of evolving technology, and adherence to, and modification where indicated, of time honored team protocols enables us to consistently achieve successful functional and esthetic outcomes, while minimizing complications.

Nasal outcomes of presurgical nasal molding in complete unilateral cleft lip and palate.

Objective. Short-term nasal forms following primary lip repair were compared between presurgical nasal molding and control groups. Aim. To compare nasal symmetry between patients that had nasal molding and lip repair with those that had only lip repair. Design. Retrospective case-control study Patients. Complete unilateral CL+P patients had basilar and frontal photographs at two time points: (1) initial (2) postsurgical. 28 nasal molding patients and 14 control patients were included. Intervention. Presurgical nasal molding was performed prior to primary lip repair in intervention group. No nasal molding was performed in control group. Hypothesis. Nasal molding combined with lip surgery repair according to the Millard procedure provides superior nasal symmetry than surgery alone for nostril height-width ratios and alar groove ratios. Statistics. Shapiro-Wilk test of normality and Student's t-tests. Results. A statistically significant difference was found for postsurgical nostril height-width ratio (P < .05). No other statistically significant differences were found. Conclusions. Nasal molding and surgery resulted in more symmetrical nostril height-width ratios than surgery alone. Alar groove ratios were not statistically significantly different between groups perhaps because application of nasal molding was not early enough; postsurgical nasal splints were not utilized; overcorrection was not performed for nasal molding.

Measuring progressive soft tissue change with nasoalveolar molding using a three-dimensional system.

BACKGROUND: For craniofacial orthodontics and surgery to progress, accurate temporal evaluation of soft tissue and skeletal change with treatment is necessary. Evolution in three-dimensional imaging eliminates certain inherent challenges in making such measurements in infants with facial clefts. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this pilot study was to measure progressive three-dimensional changes in nasal form in a series of infants with facial clefts during the course of presurgical nasoalveolar molding. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 5 infants with unrepaired cleft lip and palate, three-dimensional photographs were obtained using the 3dMD system (3dMD, Inc, Atlanta, GA) at 2-week intervals during nasoalveolar molding treatment. Using the 3dMD Vultus software, temporal soft tissue changes were evaluated quantitatively based on three-dimensional linear measurements of 3 landmarks in the nasal area and qualitative changes in the surface shell. RESULTS: Increase in columellar length on the cleft side and decrease of the nostril floor on the noncleft side were observed in all subjects. Progressive changes were observed most significantly in week 4 (T3) into treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study describes an approach using the 3dMD photo system with Vultus software for measuring the progressive change in the nasal soft tissues. The 3dMD system was believed to be valuable for facial analysis in this setting.

The importance of auricular prostheses for speech recognition.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the effects of an auricular prosthesis on sound levels at the entrance of the ear canal by measuring the auricular prosthesis transfer function (APTF) and to determine the effect of the prosthesis on speech recognition in noisy hearing conditions. METHODS: Eight prostheses were used to measure the APTF. A microphone at the entrance of the ear canal measured sound pressure levels with the prosthesis present or absent while the head was rotated 360 degrees at 30 degrees increments. The Hearing in Noise Test was modified by the APTF to simulate the absence of an auricular prosthesis. Speech recognition was measured by testing 11 subjects with the unmodified Hearing in Noise Test and the modified Hearing in Noise Test. RESULTS: The APTF changed with the head's position relative to the speaker. The mean (SD) maximal gain provided by an auricular prosthesis was 8.1 (2.7) dB at 4.6 (1.0) kHz and 9.7 (1.7) dB at 11.5 (0.9) kHz at 0 degrees rotation. During speech testing, the auricular prosthesis improved the mean (SD) signal to noise ratio by 1.7 (1.7) dB at 0 degrees (P< .001), 0.9 (2.2) dB at 90 degrees (P=.04), and 0.5 (2.3) dB at 180 degrees (P=.52). CONCLUSIONS: The acoustic gain provided by an auricular prosthesis increases speech recognition in noisy environments. Auricular prostheses not only restore aesthetics but also improve hearing.

A new device for creating and positioning an autogenous cartilage framework during microtia reconstruction.

OBJECTIVE: This paper describes the fabrication and use of a three-dimensional appliance, known as the microtia surgical positioner, to more accurately position and better sculpt the autogenous rib cartilage graft during microtia reconstruction. STUDY DESIGN: The authors introduce a new device design and surgical application. METHODS: An impression and plaster cast were made from the patient's auricular defect. On this cast, the artist then created a wax baseplate and an esthetically pleasing wax sculpture of an ideal ear similar to the patient's normal contralateral ear. The surface contour of the patient's auricular defect locked the wax baseplate into a stable position, the ear sculpture was then properly positioned on the baseplate, and the two pieces were joined. The artist made a silicone mold of the wax prototype and casted the clear acrylic resin surgical positioner using that mold. Finally, an opening along the helical portion was drilled in the positioner. Intraoperatively, the positioner locked into the surface contour of the patient's auricular defect, thus assuring accurate positioning of the cartilage graft. The surgeon marked the correct helix position with the device's helix and helical port and used the positioner as a model to guide the carving and assembly of the cartilage framework. RESULTS: Our group successfully created and used a microtia surgical positioner. The positioner guided accurate superior-inferior, anterior-posterior, and rotational placement of the helical portion of the cartilage graft. The surgical positioner also significantly contributed to detailed sculpting of the graft. CONCLUSIONS: : Medical artists and surgeons may cooperate to fabricate and use a surgical positioner to guide accurate placement of the cartilage framework and assist with sculpting of the graft for total auricular reconstruction.

Osseointegrated craniofacial implants in the rehabilitation of orbital defects: an update of a retrospective experience in the United States.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Since their introduction, craniofacial implants have been used in prosthetic rehabilitation of facial defects. The literature, however, indicates marked variability in outcomes using implants for the retention of orbital prostheses. PURPOSE: A multicenter report updating the experience in the United States with the use of craniofacial implants for prosthetic rehabilitation of orbital defects is presented. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Surveys were sent to clinicians at 25 centers where maxillofacial prosthetic treatment is provided to obtain retrospective data regarding patients who completed implant-retained orbital prosthetic rehabilitation. Data on implant placement location, radiation treatment history, and use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy were collected and assessed in relationship to implant survival over time. The Kaplan-Meier life table and Wilcoxon analyses (alpha = .05) were used to assess the significance of the findings. RESULTS: Ten centers responded, providing data suitable for statistical analysis on 153 implants placed to retain 44 orbital prostheses and followed for a mean period of 52.6 months. Forty-one implant integration failures occurred during this follow-up period, resulting in an overall integration survival rate of 73.2%. No significant relationship was found between radiation treatment history, hyperbaric oxygen therapy history, or implant placement location and implant survival. Individual responses revealed large variability between reporting centers in treatment outcomes. CONCLUSION: Craniofacial implants may offer marked benefits in the prosthetic rehabilitation of orbital defects when compared to conventional adhesive retention designs. However, questions remain regarding long-term predictability and the impact specific factors may have on treatment outcomes. Insufficient data is currently available from which to draw statistically meaningful conclusions. The establishment of a national database designed to acquire adequate data to assess treatment outcomes is recommended.

Prosthetic habilitation of patients with clefts.

Through clinical experience and research, treatment of cleft lip and palate has changed and im-proved dramatically. The team concept remains the key to success in the care of these patients. Prosthodontists remain integral members of this team because of the wide range of patient care services that they provide.

Modified nasal alveolar molding appliance for management of cleft lip defect.

Nasal alveolar molding is used effectively to reshape the nasal cartilage and mold the maxillary arch before cleft lip repair and primary rhinoplasty. It provides aesthetic and functional benefits of nasal tip and alar symmetry and improved dental arch form. At The Craniofacial Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago, the authors have developed a modification of a nasal alveolar molding appliance previously described in the literature. The key modification is the use of an orthodontic wire from the palatal prosthesis with an acrylic bulb positioned inside the nose, underneath the apex of the alar cartilage, as the nasal stent. This modification allows easier adjustment of the position of the bulb during treatment to achieve a more symmetrical relationship between the nasal cartilages, columella, philtrum, and alveolar segments.

Electromyographic activity of masticatory muscles and mandibular movement during function in marginal mandibulectomy patients.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the masticatory muscle activity and mandibular movement during function in marginal mandibulectomy patients. Three marginal mandibulectomy patients and three healthy subjects participated in this study. The activities of the temporalis (TA) and masseter muscles (MM) on the normal and resected sides during maximum voluntary clenching (MVC) and gum chewing (Gch), and mandibular movement during Gch were analyzed. Paired t-test, Student's t-test and one-way ANOVA were performed at P < 0.05. For MVC, integrated EMG (iEMG) in patients was lower than in healthy subjects. When iEMG of each muscle activity in patients was compared, TA activity on the resected side was greater than that of MM. There were no differences between the normal and resected sides in TA or MM. For Gch, no differences in iEMG, burst or chewing time were found between patients and healthy subjects. MVC was greater than Gch in healthy subjects, but no difference was found in patients. The range of mandibular movement along the X axis in patients was greater than in healthy subjects. Within the limitations of this study, EMG activity in patients during MVC was remarkably lower than that in healthy subjects, and altered mandibular movement was observed.