Related Experiment Videos
Computed tomographic evaluation of bone formation after secondary bone grafting of alveolar clefts
K Honma1, T Kobayashi, T Nakajima
1First Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, Niigata University, Niigata City, Japan. honma@dent.niigata-u.ac.jp
Purpose:
The purpose of this article was to evaluate the initial volume of alveolar clefts and the bone bridges formed in patients who had undergone secondary bone grafting.
Patients And Methods:
Fifteen cleft patients were studied. Computed tomography (CT) scans were made at 2-mm slice sections immediately before operation and at 3 months and 1 year postoperatively. The volume of the alveolar clefts and bone bridges was calculated from stored images by using an image scanner and a personal computer.
Results:
The mean cleft volume of the patients was 1.1 +/- 0.3 cm3. The corresponding volume of the bone bridges 3 months and 1 year postoperatively were 1.2 +/- 0.6 cm3 and 1.1 +/- 0.5 cm3, respectively. The value at 1 year was significantly decreased compared with that at 3 months.
Conclusions:
Adequate bone bridging was maintained for 1 year. However, it is suggested that the grafted site should be restored with a functioning tooth or a dental implant to place it under physiologic stress, because the volume of the bone bridges tends to decrease from 3 months to 1 year.