Correction of Alveolar Cleft With Calcium-Based Bone Substitutes

The criterion standard of alveolar cleft repair is iliac crest bone graft before secondary canine eruption. Tooth eruption has never been shown to occur in synthetic bone substitute, and there is no ideal autologous bone graft for primary repair. This prospective study evaluated alveolar cleft grafting with a calcium substitute before primary canine eruption. Ten consecutive patients with complete cleft lip, palate, and unilateral alveolar cleft with reasonably aligned arches were grafted beginning in January 2003 to March 2007. Mean age at surgery was 10.4 months. Follow-up ranged from 3 to 7 years. Radiologic evaluation of alveolar ridge was performed at the age of 4. All 10 patients were operated on by the same surgeon using the same technique, that is, conservative elevation of nasal, oral, and anterior alveolar mucosal flaps around the cleft, closure of nasal and oral flaps, placement of 1 to 3 mL of calcium substitute paste or crystals in the pocket, and closure of the anterior alveolar mucosa. All 10 patients healed without complication. Clinical evaluation revealed a well-healed arch with primary canine growth in the area of the previous cleft. Adequate normal bone formation and often a descending secondary canine were radiologically confirmed. Calcium substitutes offer significant advantages over other biomaterials as well as autologous bone grafts particularly in the primary alveolar cleft reconstruction. Our study has shown for the first time that teeth can erupt through this material, which turns into a normal functioning bone in the alveolar ridge.