Radiographic evaluation of the transplant bone height in patients with clefts of the lip/alveolus/palate after secondary bone grafting.

After secondary osteoplasty radiographic assessment was carried out on 101 patients with cleft lip, jaw and palate (CLP) with 129 uni- and bilateral clefts. The bone formation in the grafted area was assessed on dental radiographs taken 2.9 years on average after secondary osteoplasty. Patients were assigned to 4 groups (Types I to IV) with Types I and II being rated as a success. The purpose of the study was to compare the results in terms of the patients' age at time of surgery, presence or absence of the lateral incisors and prosthetic or orthodontic space closure. The best results in grafted bone height were observed among 6- to 9-year-olds and when the space in the dental arch had been closed orthodontically. If even hypoplastic lateral incisors were preserved, growth into the grafted area could be observed, resulting in successful bone formation of Types I and II. Space due to missing lateral incisors could best be orthodontically closed in the youngest age group and resulted in favorable septal height. The results obtained for the over 14-year-olds were least satisfactory. A reduced septal height was observed and space closure had to be obtained most frequently by prosthetic means.