Lead Author Affiliation

Doctor of Dental Surgery

Lead Author Program & Year

DDS Year 2

Second Author Program & Year

DDS Year 2

Third Author Program & Year

Graduate Orthodontics

Presentation Category

Research

Introduction/Context/Diagnosis

Background: NAM therapy is a non-surgical method that aims to improve both the aesthetic and functional outcomes of cleft lip and palate treatment in newborns. It applies controlled pressure to the cleft region, allowing for the reshaping of the area. However, further research is necessary to gain a deeper understanding of the underlying factors that influence cleft palate closure patterns and identify the regions that play the most significant role in approximating clefts. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of pre-surgical nasoalveolar molding (NAM) on infants with unilateral cleft lip and palate, with a hypothesis that there is consistency in the closing patterns of the clefts, thus facilitating a predictable assessment of the movements achieved during NAM therapy.

Methods/Treatment Plan

We collected 132 3D intraoral scans from a total of 66 patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate from three different institutions, before and after NAM treatment. The scans were utilized to measure the treatment changes and to generate distance color maps in the 3D slicer software.

Results/Outcome

Results indicated a mean decrease of 5.13 mm in cleft width, 1.5 mm decrease in the anterior arch width, 2.04 mm increase in the posterior arch width, and greater rotation of the greater segment (8.33°) compared to the lesser segment (2.88°). The lesser segment also demonstrated more anterior-posterior growth (1.78mm). Digital models showed positive closure in the unilateral cleft palate.

Significance/Conclusions

This study demonstrates that NAM therapy can achieve predictable patterns of movement, providing potential for digital fabrication using prediction algorithms. This offers opportunities for early intervention and improved outcomes for cleft patients, with valuable insights for precise prediction algorithm development.

Comments/Acknowledgements

We want to thank Dr. Yatabe, Dr. Yue, and Dr. Park for providing the samples.

Format

Event

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Dentistry Commons

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May 3rd, 8:00 AM May 3rd, 5:00 PM

Three-dimensional analysis of NasoAlveolar Molding treatment (NAM) effects in unilateral cleft lip, alveolus, and palate patients

Background: NAM therapy is a non-surgical method that aims to improve both the aesthetic and functional outcomes of cleft lip and palate treatment in newborns. It applies controlled pressure to the cleft region, allowing for the reshaping of the area. However, further research is necessary to gain a deeper understanding of the underlying factors that influence cleft palate closure patterns and identify the regions that play the most significant role in approximating clefts. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of pre-surgical nasoalveolar molding (NAM) on infants with unilateral cleft lip and palate, with a hypothesis that there is consistency in the closing patterns of the clefts, thus facilitating a predictable assessment of the movements achieved during NAM therapy.

 
 

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