Presurgical Orthopedic Treatment of a 3-Year-old Child with Unoperated Complete Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate and Protruding Premaxilla

Unoperated patients with bilateral complete cleft lip and palate (BCCLP), who do not receive orthopedic treatment in infancy and present with significant sagittal excess of the premaxilla, are among the most difficult patients to treat. Delay in primary reconstruction reduces the elastic characteristics of the tissues. The resulting rigidity of bony structures accompanied by the wide alveolar and palatal clefts associated with sagittal excess of the premaxilla pose a great challenge for both surgeon and orthodontist. There is no unique protocol for treatment of these conditions. This paper describes the use of orthopedic treatment in an unoperated 3-year-old male child with BCCLP and a protrusive premaxilla whose appearance and function were both severely affected. A modified Meazzini technique, as described in operated BCCLP patients with a downward-displaced premaxilla, was used. The device itself consists of the 2 independent components mutually connected by a 17 × 25 steel arch. The first is an active fan-type expander. The second consists of an acrylic cap covering the premaxilla and 3 brackets used for the steel arch application. They are connected by a rectangular steel 17 × 25 archwire. Reduction of the premaxillary sagittal excess of is carried out with an elastic chain. The use of this orthopedic appliance is a reliable and valuable presurgical treatment in the therapy of children with BCCLP and protrusive premaxilla whose orthopedic and surgical treatment have been delayed.