Pre surgical nasoalveolar molding: changing paradigms in early cleft lip and palate rehabilitation.

BACKGROUND: Alveolar and nasal reconstruction for patients with cleft lip and palate is a challenge for the reconstructive surgeon. Various procedures have been attempted to reduce the cleft gap so as to obtain esthetic results post surgically. Yet there is need of continuous exploration of newer and better methods. Rehabilitation of cleft lip and palate generally requires a team approach with paedodontists playing a major role of performing nasoalveolar molding. Presurgical Nasoalveolar Molding (PNAM) was introduced to reshape the alveolar and nasal segments prior to surgical repair. Over the time there have been changes in the concepts of the same. To assess these changing concepts a pubmed search was performed with different related terminologies and articles over a period of 30 years were obtained. Among the articles retrieved, studies performed over different concepts in early management of cleft lip and palate was selected for the systematic review. Aims This paper describes the changing paradigms in the management of patients with cleft lip and palate, focuses on the current concept of Presurgical nasoalveolar molding(PNAM) and discusses the long term benefits of the same. Conclusion The concept of the management of cleft lip and palate has changed over the time with more emphasis on the nasal and alveolar molding prior to the primary lip repair. This molding reduces the number reconstructive surgeries performed later for the purpose of esthetics. KEYWORDS: Cleft lip and palate, Nasal molding, Gingivoperiosteoplasty, Infant Orthopedics. How to cite this article: Murthy P S, Deshmukh S, Bhagyalakshmi A, Srilatha K T. Pre Surgical Nasoalveolar Molding: Changing Paradigms in Early Cleft Lip and Palate Rehabilitation. J Int Oral Health 2013; 5(2):76-86.