Changes in Grafted Autogenous Bone during Edgewise Treatment in Patients with Unilateral Cleft Lip/Palate or Alveolus

Abstract

Objective

To examine the changes in autogenous bone from 6 to 12 months after alveolar bone grafting (ABG) (T1) through completion of edgewise treatment (T2).

Design

Retrospective longitudinal study.

Setting

Multidisciplinary long-term follow-up at Kagoshima University Hospital.

Patients

Forty-three patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate or alveolus.

Main Outcome Measures

At T1 and T2, the bone bridge and quantity of grafted bone were evaluated using the Chelsea scale and the ABG scale. The cleft-adjacent tooth angles before ABG and at T2, as well as the number of orthodontic space closures, were examined. Patients were classified as having either adequate (type A or C; adequate group) or poor bone bridges (type B, D, E, or F; poor group) by the assessment at T1.

Results

At T1, the ABG scores for the cleft-adjacent central incisor side of patients in the adequate group were higher than those of patients in the poor group (P < .001). At T2, the adequate group had higher ABG scores for the cleft-adjacent central incisor side (P = .022) and the canine sides (P = .034). No significant differences in tooth angles or the number of orthodontic space closures were noted between the groups.

Conclusions

These results suggest that the quantity of grafted bone in the cleft-adjacent central incisor at 6 to 12 months post-ABG may be an indicator of the quantity of grafted bone that will be present after edgewise treatment.