Long-term stability of soft-tissue changes following maxillary distraction osteogenesis in adult subjects of cleft lip and palate

ObjectiveTo test the hypothesis that there is no long-term stability of soft tissue changes following maxillary advancement with distraction osteogenesis in adult subjects of cleft lip and palate.Setting and sampleOral Health Sciences Centre at PGIMER, Chandigarh; 15 consecutively treated adult subjects in the age range of 17–34 years with cleft lip and palate who underwent advancement of maxilla by distraction osteogenesis.Materials and methodsLateral cephalograms recorded prior to distraction, at the end of distraction, 6-months after distraction and at least 2-years after maxillary distraction of 15 subjects (M = 8, F = 7) in the age range of 17–34 years with complete cleft lip and palate were used for the evaluation of treatment outcome and long-term stability of the soft-tissue changes.ResultsThe soft tissue profile, total soft tissue profile and nasolabial angle were improved significantly after immediate (P < 0.001), 6-months (P < 0.01) and 2-years (P < 0.01) of maxillary distraction. Forward movement of the nasal tip and nasal base were increased significantly (P < 0.001). The length and thickness of the upper lip was improved after various time intervals of maxillary distraction osteogenesis (P < 0.01). Approximately 25% of the changes following maxillary distraction were relapsed during first 6-months of post-distraction follow-up period.ConclusionsDistraction osteogenesis of the maxilla improved the soft tissue profile by increasing the prominence of nose, moving the upper lip forward and normalizing the nasolabial angle. Approximately 75% of the changes were remained stable at the end of 2-years of follow-up of maxillary distraction osteogenesis.