Oral health related quality of life in cleft lip and palate patients rehabilitated with conventional prostheses or dental implants

Orthodontic Retainers and the Stability of the Maxillary Arch in Unilateral Cleft lip and Palate Patients: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this systematic review was to elucidate the role of orthodontic retainers on the stability of compensatory orthodontic treatment in patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate.

METHODS

Five electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, LILACS, and LIVIVO) and the grey literature (OpenGrey and Google Scholar) were investigated, according to the population, exposure, comparator, outcomes and Study design eligibility criterion. The risk of bias assessment was determined based on the Risk of Bias In Nonrandomized Studies of Exposure (ROBINS-E) and the level of evidence with the GRADE tool.

RESULTS

Three studies were included: two presented moderate risk of bias and one high. A moderate level of evidence revealed a mean value of 0.6 mm of intercanine relapse distance, and great variability between the data, regardless of the use or type of retention or rehabilitation. Relapse in the posterior region showed clinical significance, from -1 to -1.7 mm, especially in individuals who did not use retention, except in patients with symmetrical arches with Hawley retainer, where this value varies from -0.2 ± 0.63 mm.

CONCLUSIONS

Orthodontic retainers do not seem essential to prevent relapse at anterior maxillary dimensions after compensatory orthodontic treatment in patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate. Relapse in the posterior region can achieve greater clinical significance, which highlights the need for prolonged use of Hawley retainers and periodic evaluation of the stability of treatment results. Prospective studies with a longer follow-up can improve the certainty of the evidence.

Dental Rehabilitation of the Unilateral Cleft Dental Gap: A Single Institution Experience With Long-Term Follow-Up

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with the management of the cleft dental gap after alveolar bone grafting.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study of patients with unilateral cleft lip and alveolus or palate who had successful alveolar bone grafting. Our primary study outcome was alveolar cleft management (orthodontic closure or space maintenance). Our secondary study outcome was the rate of fixed dental rehabilitation. Univariate comparisons were made with SAS 9.4.

RESULTS

The final study sample consisted of 54 patients. Most patients were treated with orthodontic closure (55.6%). Patients missing multiple teeth ( P < 0.01) were less likely to receive orthodontic closure. Orthodontic closure was not associated with differences in intermaxillary midline coincidence ( P = 0.22) or the need for LeFort advancement ( P = 0.15). Only 41.7% of patients who were managed with space maintenance obtained a fixed prosthesis. Hispanic ethnicity ( P < 0.01) and Medicaid insurance ( P < 0.01) were associated with lower rates of fixed dental rehabilitation.

CONCLUSIONS

Orthodontic closure was the most common approach, and it did not result in significant maxillary midline distortion. Less than half of patients treated with space maintenance obtained fixed restorations. Socioeconomic barriers are likely preventing access to definitive dental rehabilitation in patients with unilateral cleft lip and alveolus or palate.

Survival Rate of Dental Implants in the Cleft Area: A Cross-Sectional Retrospective Study

This study aimed to evaluate the survival rate of osseointegrated implants installed in the cleft area. An extensive data survey was conducted using the medical records of individuals who had implants installed in the cleft area between 1999 and 2020. The variables assessed were age, sex, implant follow-up time, implantation procedures, and rehabilitation with implant-supported prostheses. Data were analyzed in terms of implant survival time, correlating with the factors: age, sex, execution, or no-execution of bone regrafting, the time interval between secondary alveolar bone grafting and regrafting, the time interval between regrafting and implant installation, and the time interval between implant installation and provisional and definitive prosthesis. Data were analyzed with respect to implant survival. χ 2 and Student t tests were used with a 5% significance level. A total of 1295 medical records were analyzed, of which 688 reported implants in cleft areas (56.1% in females, 43.9% in males) with a success rate of 92.73% and a mean follow-up time of 53.2 (±45.0) months. There were no statistically significant differences in the correlation between the survival rate and sex ( P = 0.895, χ 2 test), between the implant survival rate and regrafted area ( P = 0.904, χ 2 test), or between the survival rate and patient age ( P = 0.246, Student t test). The survival rate of implants in the cleft area was 92.73%. Age, sex, and the need for regrafting did not influence the survival rate of implants installed in the cleft area. Clinical studies that evaluate the survival rate of implants installed in patients with cleft maxilla are of great relevance to the dental field.

Sociodemographic Factors and Implant Consideration by Patients Attending Removable Prosthodontics Clinics

Objective. This study is aimed at investigating the treatment options offered to and chosen by patients attending a student prosthodontics clinic and to investigate the effect of the sociodemographic background of participants on implant consideration. Material and Methods. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 200 participants including their socioeconomic background, treatment options presented, treatment preferences, and implant consideration. Bivariate tests (unpaired $t$ -test, chi-square, and Mann–Whitney test) and Spearman correlation were used for comparison of different socioeconomic groups according to treatment preferences (implant consideration versus conventional removable prosthesis). Results. Treatment options presented by dental students include 63.5% complete denture, 32% implants/removable dentures, and partial denture 4.5%. Conventional removable prostheses were mostly chosen due to low income. Implants were only considered by 26% of participants. Age and implant consideration had a significant negative correlation. No significant difference in gender and residency area on implant consideration was found. The chi-square test showed a significant difference between implant consideration and conventional removable prostheses in the various occupation groups. Conclusions. Low income is the main factor prohibiting patients from considering dental implants. Age and educational level may play a considerable role in considering dental implants. There should be more emphasis on dental students’ treatment planning education to include and explain dental implants as a treatment option for their patients in the prosthodontics clinic.

Impact of a new combined preoperative cleft assessment on dental implant success in patients with cleft and palate: a retrospective study

Background

Bone height assessment alone is frequently used to guide rehabilitation choice, without consideration for soft tissues or adjacent teeth. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of different preoperative cleft assessments on implant success and patient satisfaction.

Methods

The study involved a retrospective assessment of records from 40 patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP). The alveolar cleft score (ACS; clinical criteria), interdental alveolar bone height (IABH) score (radiological criteria), patient compliance score (dental hygiene, medical visit observance, and smoking), and a novel combined score (IABH-ACS-Compliance) were assessed from patient records. Patients who required prosthetic tooth rehabilitation in the cleft dental arch space were included. Twenty-six patients (Group 1) were treated with dental implants, and 14 patients (Group 2) selected another prosthetic option (fixed prosthodontics, removal prosthesis), orthodontic space closure, or no rehabilitation. The main outcomes measured were relative implant success (no implant loss involving marginal bone loss ≤ 1.9 mm) for patients treated with dental implant therapy (Group 1) and patient satisfaction for all patients (Groups 1 and 2).

Results

Forty dental implants were placed in the patients in Group 1. Four implants in four patients (Group 1 relative failure, RF) were lost (implant survival rate of 90%) after 36 (± 12.4) months of follow-up. Twenty-two patients who received implants belonged to the relative implant success group (Group 1 RS). The average “IABH-ACS-Compliance” scores were significantly different (p < 0.05): 16.90 ± 2.35 and 12.75 ± 0.43 for the Group 1 RS and RF groups, respectively.

Conclusions

Preoperative cleft parameters have an impact on relative implant success and patient satisfaction. The new cleft assessment combined-score (“IABH-ACS-Compliance”) allows an accurate selection of cleft cases eligible for dental implants, thereby improving postoperative outcomes.

Traditional Removable Partial Dentures versus Implant-Supported Removable Partial Dentures: A Retrospective, Observational Oral Health-Related Quality-of-Life Study

Removable partial dentures (RPD) are still a valid alternative for the restoration of missing teeth. Additionally, implant-supported removable partial dentures (ISRPD) represent a valid alternative as it allows to avoid the use of clasps and increase stability. The objective of this study was to evaluate through an OHIP-14 questionnaire the level of satisfaction and quality of life (QoL) of patients treated before RPD and then with ISRPD. Twenty patients were rehabilitated with traditional RPDs, and after one year the prosthesis was modified into ISRPD, by inserting an implant and a ball or locator attachment. At the end of both phases, patients completed the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) questionnaire. The collected data were statistically analyzed through the Wilcoxon U test, as overall OHIP score and difference between treatments. The mean of the OHIP summary (range from 0 to 56) in the RPD Group was 20.95 (±5.27). In the ISRPD Group it was 13.95 (±3.91), with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) between the two Groups. The same findings were highlighted for the differences between groups in every domain question. Patients showed significant improvements after rehabilitation in all areas of investigation, stating how the transformation of a removable prosthesis into an implant-supported one can improve patients’ QoL with benefits in chewing ability, aesthetics and self-satisfaction.

Reliability and Reproducibility of Landmark Identification in Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Patients: Digital Lateral Vis-A-Vis CBCT-Derived 3D Cephalograms

BACKGROUND

The aim of the retrospective observational study was to compare the precision of landmark identification and its reproducibility using cone beam computed tomography-derived 3D cephalograms and digital lateral cephalograms in unilateral cleft lip and palate patients.

METHODS

Cephalograms of thirty-one (31) North Indian children (18 boys and 13 girls) with a unilateral cleft lip and palate, who were recommended for orthodontic treatment, were selected. After a thorough analysis of peer-reviewed articles, 20 difficult-to-trace landmarks were selected, and their reliability and reproducibility were studied. These were subjected to landmark identification to evaluate interobserver variability; the coordinates for each point were traced separately by three different orthodontists (OB_A, OB_B, OB_C). Statistical analysis was performed using descriptive and inferential statistics with paired t-tests to compare the differences measured by the two methods. Real-scale data are presented in mean ± SD. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered as significant at a 95% confidence level.

RESULTS

When comparing, the plotting of points posterior nasal spine (PNS) (p < 0.05), anterior nasal spine (ANS) (p < 0.01), upper 1 root tip (p < 0.05), lower 1 root tip (p < 0.05), malare (p < 0.05), pyriforme (p < 0.05), porion (p < 0.01), and basion (p < 0.05) was statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

In patients with a cleft lip and palate, the interobserver identification of cephalometric landmarks was significantly more precise and reproducible with cone beam computed tomography -derived cephalograms vis-a-vis digital lateral cephalograms.

[The role of restorative oral rehabilitation in orthodontic treatment of cleft lip and palate patients]

The purpose of the study is improving the effectiveness of rehabilitation of adolescents with a cleft lip and palate based on the orthopedic technologies implementation aimed at replacing the tooth-alveolar defect in the area of the alveolar ridge cleft at the active orthodontic treatment stage.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In the period from 2013 to 2020, 44 patients aged 10 to 18 years with unilateral and bilateral cleft lip and palate were observed. During orthodontic treatment with active appliances all patients received a removable plastic prosthesis with an artificial tooth (or several teeth) in it covering the defect of the alveolar process in the cleft area. An experimental dental alveolar model was made in a 1:1-scale, based on an axial computed tomographic section of the upper jaw, examined in polarized light on the installation with a source of scattered white light with a 1600-2000 cd/m² brightness to study the distribution of stresses in the dental alveolar complex using an active orthodontic arch. The assessment of chewing efficiency was carried out on the evaluation of the nut (hazelnut) crushing degree.

RESULTS

The study of the experimental tooth-alveolar model with a bracket system with an active orthodontic arch with an included defect in the dentition in the area of the cleft of the alveolar process showed an uneven and deviant distribution of stresses in the tooth-alveolar complex, the vector of which depends on the presence or absence of a rigid connection between the alveolar fragments (imitation of the presence or absence of bone regenerate in the cleft). The use of a restorative construction reduces the time when performing a chewing test and increases the efficiency of chewing in patients with unilateral (p=0.02) and bilateral (p=0.008) cleft. It is associated not only with the restoration of the continuity of the dentition with an orthopedic structure, but also with the activation and structuring of the function of the tongue when performing chewing movements.

CONCLUSION

The use of a proposed restorative appliance allows: to create the continuity of the upper dentition that harmonizes the distribution of forces from the active orthodontic arch; increases the stability of the teeth in the areas of the upper jaw adjacent to the cleft (incisors and canines) and prevents their unwanted displacement; promotes directional movement of the teeth; in the retention period, to maintain the achieved expansion of the dentition while maintaining space for the future fixed prosthesis; isolate the mouth of the anterior palate; hold the achieved position of the fragments of the upper jaw until bone grafting.

Mothers' sense of coherence and oral health-related quality of life in cleft lip and palate children visiting a private dental college: A Survey

Background:

In addition to an adjusting physical appearance, children with cleft lip and palate also deal with psychological and psychosocial limitation. Mothers' sense of coherence (SOC) could be a psychosocial determinant of oral health quality of life (OH-QoL) of cleft lip and palate patients. Hence, the present study was done to assess the relationship of mothers' SOC on OH-QoL in cleft lip and palate patients.

Materials and Methods:

The present cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted on mothers of cleft lip and palate children. The first part consisted of demographic details. The second part of scale was the early childhood and oral health impact scale (ECOHIS) which had a total 13 questions with responses on a 4-point Likert scale. The third part was to assess mothers' SOC using a short version of SOC-13 consists of 13 items on a 7-point Likert scale. Chi-square test was applied to assess the association between mothers' SOC, sociodemographic characteristic, and children's OHRQoL. In the analysis, P < 0.05 was considered significant.

Results:

Out of 69% of low SOC population, 21.73% were rural, 20.39% were from peri-urban, and 57.97% population was from urban areas. Out of 150 participants, 2.40% in high ECOHIS were illiterate/primary school, “31.32% were high school/intermediate/diploma had high ECOHIS while 66.26% were high school/intermediate/diploma” had low ECOHIS, and 25.37% were graduate/postgraduate. Mothers' education and locality were statistically significant P < 0.001.

Conclusion:

Action to enhance mothers' SOC might form part of oral health promotion and help to improve the oral health quality of life of cleft lip and palate patients.

Patient experience following iliac crest-derived alveolar bone grafting and implant placement

Background

The objective of this study was to assess patient-reported outcomes such as satisfaction and quality of life after advanced alveolar bone augmentation with anterior iliac crest grafting and implant treatment in orally compromised patients.

Methods

This cross-sectional retrospective cohort study included 59 patients (29 women and 30 men) with major functional problems, who underwent advanced alveolar augmentation with autologous iliac bone grafts during a 10-year period (2002–2012).

The self-administered questionnaire included 36 validated questions related to (1) demographics, (2) perceived general and oral health, (3) donor site and hospitalization, (4) status of implants and/or prosthesis, and (5) oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL).

Results

Questionnaires were completed by 44 patients: 24 women and 20 men (response rate, 74.6%). Most patients reported good tolerance of the operative iliac bone harvesting (85%) and implant (90%) procedures. Post-operative pain at the donor site was reported by 38%, lasting 18.1 ± 16.1 days. An average of 4.3 ± 3.5 days of hospitalization and 20.2 ± 18.5 days of sick leave was reported. The overall satisfaction with prosthetic reconstruction was 90.5%. OHRQoL was reported with a mean Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) score of 8.4.

Conclusion

Favorable OHRQoL and satisfaction were reported after advanced reconstruction of alveolar ridges with iliac crest-derived grafting and implants in severely compromised patients. However, this treatment requires substantial resources including hospitalization and sick leave.

Permanent Anterior Teeth Fractures and its Impact on Oral Health-Related Quality of Life among 8-15-Year-Old Schoolchildren of Chennai City - A Cross-Sectional Survey

Background:

Tooth fracture is not only a distressing experience on the physical level of a child, but it may also have an effect on emotional and psychological levels. This study aims to assess the permanent anterior teeth fractures and their impact on Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) among 8–15-year-old schoolchildren of Chennai city.

Materials and Methods:

Thirty schools were randomly selected by stratified random sampling. All school-going children aged 8–15 years were invited to participate. A total of 7247 children were screened and 628 children with permanent anterior teeth fractures were included. Data were collected using Child Oral Health Impact Profile questionnaire. In addition, questionnaire addressing sociodemographic data and factors influencing permanent anterior teeth fractures were recorded. Descriptive statistics was performed to characterize the sample. One-way analysis of variance and Tukey's honestly significant difference post hoc tests was applied for multiple pair-wise comparisons.

Results:

The prevalence of permanent anterior teeth fracture was found to be 8.7%. The type of school had highly significant (P < 0.001) influence on the impact of permanent anterior teeth fracture on OHRQoL with negative OHRQoL among the corporation schools. The study participants of corporation schools had negative OHRQoL with significant difference in oral health well-being (P < 0.001) and self-image (P = 0.014).

Conclusion:

All the children reporting with tooth fractures had negative OHRQoL. The study stresses the importance of promoting good oral health-care practices to prevent oral disease in children and to meet children's unmet oral health-care needs.

Implant Therapy in Alveolar Cleft Sites

Dental implant therapy in the non-cleft patient is familiar to most oral and maxillofacial surgeons. Understanding the differences in surgical treatment planning in the cleft patient versus the non-cleft patient is the key to highly functional and esthetic long-term outcomes. CBCT and computer-assisted planning, as well as improved technology in grafting and implant materials, result in excellent outcomes. Communication with the restorative team remains of paramount importance in planning treatment.

Long-term changes in oral health-related quality of life of standard, cleft, and surgery patients after orthodontic treatment: A longitudinal study

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study was to assess long-term changes and describe the trajectories of oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in a cohort of cleft, surgery, and standard patients who received orthodontic treatment.

METHODS

Standard (n = 16), cleft (n = 19), and orthognathic surgery (n = 22) patients completed the short-form of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) before treatment, immediately posttreatment, and approximately 5 years posttreatment.

RESULTS

An overall reduction in OHIP-14 scores (improvement in OHRQoL) occurred after orthodontic treatment; however, this was only significant for the surgery and standard groups (P <0.05). The total OHIP-14 score increased significantly from posttreatment to 5 years follow-up for all 3 study groups (P <0.05). Relative to pretreatment, however, there were significant reductions in total OHIP-14 scores at 5 years posttreatment in the surgery group (-57.4%; P <0.05), but not in the standard sample (-24.2%; P >0.05). By contrast, the OHIP-14 score in the cleft group increased but not significantly (40.2%; P >0.05). Using a mixed model analysis, a significant interaction was detected between patient group and time (ie, study time point) (F = 6.0; P <0.0001), after adjusting for age and sex.

CONCLUSIONS

Distinct patient groups showed different OHRQoL trajectories after orthodontic treatment. Treatment-related improvements in OHRQoL are maintained over time for surgery patients, but not for those with standard malocclusions and orofacial clefts.

Quality-of-Life in Children with Orofacial Clefts and Caregiver Well-being

Quality of life is a valid patient-reported parameter that provides an assessment of treatment need or outcomes complementary to standard clinical measures. Such patient-reported assessments are particularly salient when examining chronic conditions with prolonged treatment trajectories, such as cleft lip and palate. This critical review identifies key questions related to ongoing research on the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in children with cleft and caregiver well-being. Details of the design and results from 2 longitudinal multicenter studies are presented. This article also provides an update on recent published reports regarding OHRQoL in individuals with cleft. Methodological issues in OHRQoL research are discussed, including condition-specific versus generic instruments, incorporating positive items in OHRQoL instruments, calculating minimally important differences in OHRQoL, implementing mixed methods design, and utilizing validated short assessment forms in OHRQoL research. Finally, new directions for research in cleft as a chronic condition are identified and discussed.

Gingival esthetics and oral health-related quality of life in patients with cleft lip and palate

While the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) is known to be reduced in patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP), its inter-dependency with the soft tissue characteristics of the CLP area remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the soft tissue characteristics in the treated cleft area in order to investigate whether gingival esthetics correlate with OHRQoL. Thirty-six patients with unilateral or bilateral CLP (46 cleft areas) were investigated after secondary/tertiary alveolar bone grafting and orthodontic/prosthetic implant treatment using an adapted score to rate gingival esthetics (clinical esthetic score, CES). The patient's OHRQoL was determined using the German short version of the Oral Health Impact Profile questionnaire (OHIP-G14). The results showed a significantly better rating in patients with their own teeth in situ (12.05±1.10) than in patients with implants (6.95±4.78) or prosthetics (4.00±3.58). The best OHRQoL values were achieved by patients with their own teeth integrated into the cleft area (1.32±2.31), followed by patients with implants (2.33±2.33) and prosthetics (3.75±5.87). A significant (P=0.017) correlation was found between OHIP-G14 and CES scores, suggesting an increased OHRQoL in cases with higher oral esthetics in the cleft area. The therapeutic strategy contributes to both gingival esthetics and OHRQoL. The patient's subjective perception of OHRQoL can be attributed to objective gingival esthetic ratings.

Fretting Corrosion Behavior of Experimental Ti-20Cr Compared to Titanium

Experimental cast titanium alloys containing 20 mass% chromium (Ti-20Cr) show preferable mechanical properties and a good corrosion resistance. This study evaluated the fretting corrosion behavior of Ti-20Cr. Ti-20Cr (n = 4) and commercially pure titanium (CP-Ti, n = 6) disk specimens were used. The fretting corrosion test was performed by electrochemical corrosion at 0.3 V in 0.9% saline solution and mechanical damage using 10 scratching cycles with three different scratching speeds (10–40 mm/s) at 10 N. After testing, the activation peak, repassivation time and surface morphology of each specimen were analyzed. The differences between the results were tested by parametric tests (α = 0.05). The average activation peaks were significantly higher in CP-Ti than in Ti-20Cr (p < 0.01), except at 20 mm/s. In the series of scratching speeds, faster scratching speeds showed higher activation peaks. The maximum activation peaks were also higher in CP-Ti. Slight differences in the repassivation time were observed between the materials at every scratching speed; faster scratching speeds showed shorter repassivation times in both materials (p < 0.05). CP-Ti showed severe damage and significantly higher wear depth than Ti-20Cr (p < 0.05). In conclusion, adding chromium to titanium reduced surface damage and improved the fretting corrosion resistance.