Late management of cleft lip and palate problems: a joint orthodontic/surgical approach

Three patients are presented from a larger case series of adolescent cleft lip and palate patients to illustrate a combined approach to the treatment of severe facial and dentoalveolar discrepancy. The following treatment regime was employed: orthopaedic expansion of the maxillary dentoalveolus; tertiary bone grafting of the alveolar cleft; upper and lower dental arch alignment and decompensation; and orthognathic surgery to correct the skeletal defect by means of a maxillary single unit advancement. The advantages of tertiary grafting (when secondary grafting has not been carried out) in the orthodontic and surgical management of these patients is discussed.