Effect of Nasoalveolar Molding on Skeletal Growth in Individuals With Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate During the Mixed Dentition Stage

BACKGROUND: Nasoalveolar molding (NAM) is widely used to improve surgical outcomes in cleft lip and palate by reshaping nasal cartilage and aligning the alveolar cleft. However, its lasting impacts on skeletal growth in individuals with bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) remain unclear. METHODS: This retrospective study reviewed individuals with nonsyndromic BCLP born between 1997 and 2017. Two groups were compared: NAM-treated (n=33) and control (n=45). Lateral cephalometric x-rays taken in the mixed dentition before orthodontic intervention or alveolar bone grafting were compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: The mean SNA in the NAM group was 78.9 degrees, compared with 78.4 degrees in the control group ( P =0.6651), and the mean ANB was 4.6 degrees in the NAM group versus 3.4 degrees in the control group ( P =0.2587). No significant differences were found in any of the cephalometric measurements between groups. CONCLUSION: No difference was found in skeletal growth pattern during the mixed dentition between individuals with BCLP who underwent NAM and who did not. Using the NAM was not associated with deficient skeletal development during the mixed dentition.