Maxillary Expansion in Cleft Lip and Palate using Quad Helix and Rapid Palatal Expansion Screw

BackgroundManagement of patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP) includes orthodontic treatment prior to bone grafting. Palatal expansion is done using slow or rapid palatal expansions (RPE). Controversy still exists regarding choice of expansion appliances used. This study was conducted to find out whether the Quad helix appliance represents a reasonable alternative to using conventional rapid maxillary expansion appliance among cleft lip and palate patients.MethodsTwenty cleft lip and palate patients had orthodontic study models taken prior to expansion and at the end of expansion. There pre and post treatment study models were analyzed for changes in intermolar width, molar tipping and molar rotation.ResultThe difference in molar tipping, increase in intercanine and molar width between slow palatal expansion (SPE) and rapid palatal expansion (RPE) group was not statistically significant. A difference between the two groups was found in the ability to rotate molars.ConclusionThe clinical findings suggest that maxillary expansion using the Quad helix appliance represents a reasonable alternative to using conventional rapid maxillary expansion appliances among cleft patients.