Protraction Headgear Compliance and Orthognathic Surgery in Patients With Cleft Lip and Palate

Assess cephalometric parameters and the need for orthognathic surgery (OS) and its relationship with compliance in protraction headgear (PHG).

Retrospective case series.

Hospital cleft-craniofacial center.

23 patients with nonsyndromic cleft lip and palate and history of lip and palate repair.

Patients received PHG and orthodontic treatment. Compliant patients were compared to patients that were not. Protraction was applied with 170-gram elastics and patients were instructed to wear for at least 12 hours daily.

Cephalometric measurements at initial (T1), post-PHG (T2), and pre-surgical or post-orthodontic treatment (T3) of at least age 15 for females and 17 for males and the presence of OS were compared.

83% (19) of patients reported compliance with therapy. Of those compliant, 68% (13) had OS and 32% (6) did not (P = .99). Inter-group comparisons at T1 between compliant and noncompliant showed no significant differences and the non-OS patients started with larger nasolabial angles (P < .05). At T2, there were no significant cephalometric differences between groups. At T3, compliant patients showed significantly more upper incisor proclination than noncompliant patients. Between OS and non-OS, OS patients had significantly decreased ANB, Wits, convexity, overjet, and FMA and larger nasolabial angles (P < .05).

Patients compliant with PHG showed no difference in the need for OS. However, after orthodontic treatment, compliant patients showed more upper incisor proclination and OS patients with decreased ANB, Wits, convexity, overjet, FMA, and larger nasolabial angles.