Abstract
Cleft lip and palate patients show several characteristic clinical and functional findings, such as:
a. Cross bite, open bite and unstable occlusion in ICP.
b. Tight upper lip, midface retrusion and scar contracted vestibular sulcus.
c. Malposition of teeth, oronasal fistula and velopharyngeal incompetence.
d. Relapse of teeth and segment.
To consider a prosthodontic therapy to be successful, two factors must be satisfied:
1. Reconstruction for optimum occlusion: stable occlusion in ICP and anterior guidanceproviding harmonious jaw movement.
2. Prosthesis must satisfy requests of esthetics, comfort, simplicity and durability.
In this study, the clinical and prosthetic findings of 10 patients before and after prosthetictreatment were compared.
Results:
1. All patients were satisfied with the given prosthodontic treatment.
2. In 2 patients, both factors were established.
In 4 patients who had anterior malocclusion, stable occlusion in ICP was established, butoptimum anterior guidance was not.In 4 patients who had severe malocclusion, optimum occlusion was not established with oralreconstruction.
3. Many patients who had upper malpositioned teeth, oronasal fistula, relapse of teeth andsegment showed that their prostheses were more complicated and larger.
Therefore, we reconfirm that prosthodontists, oral surgeons and orthodontists must coordinate and discuss how to accomplish a successful rehabilitation of cleft lip and palate patients.
