Natal teeth: a potential impediment to nasoalveolar molding in infants with cleft lip and palate.

The purpose of this article is to describe two cases of bilateral cleft lip and palate with natal/neonatal teeth. Clinical features, prevalence, possible complications, and treatment modalities are discussed. Two patients with cleft lip and palate and natal/neonatal teeth are described. The first patient was a 4-week-old infant with bilateral cleft lip and palate. On initial inspection an odontogenic vestige was noticed on the right lateral border of the premaxillary segment, bordering the cleft. The second patient was a newborn with a vestige on the right side of the premaxilla. At 20 days, another swelling representing a neonatal tooth on the left side was found. Because the teeth interfered with the fabrication and application of the nasoalveolar molding (NAM) appliance, they were removed from both patients. In the first patient, at 1 week after extraction, the NAM device was placed without difficulty. At 8 months, the infant had adapted well to the NAM device and nursed without problems. The second patient did not follow-up for the placement of the NAM device. In patients with cleft lip and palate with natal/neonatal teeth who require NAM, the tooth must be removed to facilitate the fabrication and placement of the device. Natal/neonatal teeth must be extracted with caution because the tooth buds of neighboring teeth may be damaged and remnants of the dental papillae may be left behind. Although general anesthesia is not always indicated for the removal of these teeth, in cases in which the premaxilla is loose, such as the current cases, general anesthesia is warranted.