Alveolar cleft bone grafting: factors affecting case prognosis

Abstract

Objectives: The goal of this retrospective study was to determine the significance and impact of several factors on the alveolar cleft bone grafting procedure.

Materials and methods: The medical records were reviewed. In addition, x-rays were checked. The size of every cleft was measured in this retrospective study. The analyzed factors included sex, age, type of cleft, size of the cleft, and the type of flap used in surgery. The patients were characterized into group A (no complications, Bergland scale 1 or 2), group B (complications or Bergland scale 3), or group C (failure cases). Statistical analysis was performed with a P-value set at 0.05.

Results: There were 32 cases in group A, 26 in group B, and 9 in group C. Multinomial logistic regression showed an association between the type of the cleft and the size of the cleft, with the presence of complications, or achieving type 3 on the Bergland scale, with odds ratios of 5.118 and 6.000, respectively. The type of cleft was related to failure with an odds ratio of 4.833. Given a small sample, statistical analysis could not be performed to evaluate the relationship between the size of the cleft and group C. Age, sex, and the type of the flap were not significant factors.

Conclusion: The cleft size of more than 10 mm and bilateral clefts were listed regarding their effect on the procedure. Clinicians should not overlook these factors. In addition, patients must be informed of any risks that are present.

Keywords: Alveolar cleft; Bilateral cleft; Cleft size; Patient’s age.

Fig. 1

Part of a panoramic x-ray showing the measurement of the size of the alveolar cleft.