Nonsurgical orthodontic treatment using bone-anchored maxillary protraction in a patient with unilateral cleft lip and palate.

Abstract

Class III malocclusion due to a retrognathic maxilla is common in patients with cleft lip and palate. Skeletally anchored maxillary protraction using screw-anchored mini-plates combined with intraoral elastics has shown promising results in achieving orthopedic changes and maintaining the outcome until the completion of the growth. This case report presents the course of treatment in a patient with unilateral cleft lip and palate and multiple congenitally missing teeth treated with bone-anchored maxillary protraction until the end of growth. Four mini-plates (Bollard plates) were used during comprehensive fixed orthodontic treatment to protract the dentition and close the space where teeth were missing, extrude the canine, and force eruption of the second premolar using extension arms and cantilevers. A 2-year follow-up at age 17 showed stable occlusion and maintenance of soft tissue results. Bone-anchored maxillary protraction treatment in a patient with cleft lip and palate demonstrates proper orthopedic results and could be a viable alternative to orthognathic surgery.