A case of adult cleft palate patient treatment with differential maxillary lateral expand distraction osteogenesis using combined expansion appliances

A 34-year-old female patient who had undergone surgical treatment for a cleft in the soft palate during childhood received orthodontic treatment for crowding. She had a straight type facial profile and facial asymmetry with a concave area on the left side of the philtrum and mandibular deviation to the left. The surgical scar was observed on the center of the palate. She also had a severely constricted maxillary arch and unilateral cross bite on the left side. In this report, we suggest a novel method for uneven maxillary lateral expansion using a dento-osseous-supported expansion appliance in the frontal side of the maxilla and a modified dental-supported expansion appliance in the mid-palatal area. With this method, we achieved the optimal maxillary expansion in the maxillary frontal and molar areas. As a result of the surgically-assisted orthodontic treatment, facial asymmetry, the facial midline, and severe malocclusion were corrected. Furthermore, the resulting occlusion and facial symmetry were maintained over a 2-year retention period. Although attention must be paid regarding the retention of the expanded maxillary bone, our findings in the present study suggest that differential maxillary lateral expand distraction osteogenesis, which is performed using combined expansion appliances, can be successfully performed in patients with cleft palate.