[Presurgical nasoalveolar molding a child with cleft lip and palate]

The cleft lip and palate are among the diseases that benefit most from the creation of multidisciplinary units (paediatric surgeons, maxillofacial and plastic, orthodontist, otolaryngologist, speech therapist, psychologist, etc.). The objectives of presurgical orthodontic and orthopedic treatment are: 1.--Align the alveolar segments and reduce the width of the cleft to facilitate cheiloplasty. 2.--To guide the growth of the segments in which the jaw is divided. 3.--Improve lingual function. 4.--Shaping the nasal cartilage and the columella. We review developments in the treatment results in presurgical NAM (PNAME) in 15 patients treated in cleft lip and palate Unit Hospital Virgen de las Nieves (10 unilateral and 5 bilateral). Three patients did not complete treatment because of lack of cooperation from parents who dropped by the baby's crying. In all patients who completed a significant improvement was achieved in the alignment and spacing of the alveolar segments and in the shape of the alar cartilage. The learning curve in shaping makes each time the results are better and communication between parents of patients causes dropouts are virtually zero.