Facial mask를 이용한 구순구개열 아동의 악안면 성장조절

Growth modification treatment with facial mask in the cleft lip and palate patients

Cleft lip and palate is the most frequent congenital facial deformity of the orofacial area. Successful management of patients with cleft lip and palate requires a multidisciplinary approach from birth to adult stage. The early surgical intervention of lip and palate induces a significant incidence of maxillary growth restriction that produces secondary deformities of the jaws, and the severity of the skeletal discrepancies tends to increase with growth. The early growth modification treatment to utilize the patient s growth potential is necessary in the cleft lip and palate patients, and we must consider not only the existing skeletal discrepancies but the residual growth amount and the direction. However, once we have obtained good results with orthopedic treatment in mixed dentition stage, we must pay special attention to maintain the treatment results because of high relapse tendencies and the alterations of jaw relationships due to residual growth.