Comparison of Alveolar Bone Grafting Outcomes using CBCT in Individuals with UCLP Based on the Presurgical Orthodontic Treatment Methods.

Objective: The purpose is to evaluate outcomes of alveolar bone grafting based on the pre-grafting orthodontic preparation methods.

Design: Retrospective analysis of individuals with unilateral cleft lip and palate.

Subjects and settings: 28 individuals with non-syndromic UCLP from two craniofacial centers, 14 individuals each from XXXX and XXXX.

Interventions: The alignment group underwent maxillary expansion with incisors alignment while the non-alignment group underwent only maxillary expansion for presurgical orthodontic preparation.

Methods: Initial and post-surgical CBCT scans were compared to observe changes in angulation of the incisor adjacent to the cleft site, alveolar bony root coverage, and bone graft outcomes.

Results: In the alignment group, the buccolingual rotation decreased by 32.35 degrees (p = .0002), the anteroposterior inclination increased by 14.01 degrees (p = .0004), and the mesiodistal angulation decreased by 17.88 degrees (p = .0001). Alveolar bony coverage did not change after bone graft in both groups, and no difference was observed between the groups. Chelsea scale showed satisfactory bone graft outcome (category A, C) in 12 cases (85.71%) in the alignment group and 11 cases (78.51%) in the non-alignment group. The volumetric measurement showed the alignment group had better bone fill of 69.85% versus 51.45% in the non-alignment group (p = .0495).

Conclusions: Alveolar bony coverage on the tooth adjacent to cleft sites did not change with alveolar bone grafting surgery in either of the alignment and non-alignment group. Presurgical orthodontic alignment does not induce root exposure nor poorer bone grafting outcome.