Abstract
The purposes of prosthodontic treatment in cleft lip and palate patients are to recover various functions, to prevent individual teeth and alveolar arches from relapsing, to equalize the occlusal force, and to close the fistula. The Department of Maxillofacial Prosthetics in Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) was established in 1979 as a Clinic for Stomatognathic Dysfunction and we have treated cleft lip and palate patients as a part of maxillofacial prosthetic treatment for 35 years since then. We report 4 cases that were treated in the early 1980s and were followed up with longevity for over 25 years.
Case 1: Left side of cleft lip and palate patient. An obturator and a hard resin facing fixed prosthesis were set as the abutment teeth were both maxillary central incisors, both maxillary canine teeth, and the left maxillary first premolar. The patient was followed for 31 years.
Case 2: Bilateral cleft lip and palate patient. An obturator, 2 plumpers and a hard resin facing fixed prosthesis were set as the abutment teeth were both maxillary central incisors, the right maxillary canine tooth, both maxillary first premolars and the left maxillary second premolar. The patient was followed for 29 years.
Case 3: Bilateral cleft lip and palate patient. An obturator, a plumper and a hard resin facing removable prosthesis by telescopic crowns were set as the abutment teeth were both maxillary central incisors, both maxillary canine teeth and the left maxillary first premolar. The patient was followed for 29 years.
Case 4: Left side of cleft lip and palate patient. An obturator, a plumper and a porcelain fused fixed prosthesis were set as the abutment teeth were the right maxillary central incisor, the right maxillary lateral incisor, the left maxillary canine tooth and the left maxillary first premolar. The patient was followed for 26 years.
In addition, individual teeth and alveolar arches were kept within normal limits in every case.
