OBJECTIVEThis study analyzed the alveolar changes of complete unilateral cleft lip (UCCL) patients after pre-surgical nasoalveolar molding (PNAM) treatment using a three-dimensional method.

METHODSPalate impressions of thirty UCCL patients who underwent PNAM treatment in the Affiliated Stomatology Hospital of Guangxi Medical University were taken pre- and post-PNAM. The plaster impressions were scanned using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). The DICOM files were exported and 3D models reconstructed in Mimics 15.0. The following parameters were analyzed in SPSS 17.0: cleft alveolar gap width, alveolar arch end width, upper lip frenulum-median plane distance, alveolar shift distance, and length of alveolar section.

RESULTSAfter PNAM treatment, the cleft alveolar gap width and upper lip frenulum-median plane distance decreased significantly (P<0.05). No statistically significant change was observed in the alveolar arch end width (P>0.05). Alveolar shift distances for both sides increased significantly (P<0.05), and the shift distance of major alveolar sec-tion had a more significant increase than the minor alveolar section. The lengths of the alveolar section of both sides increased significantly (P<0.05) with the length of the major alveolar section increasing more significantly than the minor alveolar section.

CONCLUSIONSThe impression-CBCT method supply accurate three-dimensional data of the alveolar process. The PNAM treatment can significantly correct alveolar deformity and improve appearance.