Facemask therapy in unilateral cleft lip and palate patients

Background: Midfacial hypoplasia is a common feature in patients with combined cleft lip and palate. The current study was done to assess the effect of facemask (FM) therapy in patients with unilateral cleft palate. Materials and Methods: A total of 16 patients with unilateral complete cleft lip and palate were treated with maxillary transversal discrepancy with rapid maxillary expansion (RME) followed by FM therapy. After the completion of the RME treatment, the same appliance was used for protraction. Radiographs were taken after removing the RME appliance (T1) and at the end of the FM treatment after removing the appliance (T2). Results: There were 5 males and 11 females. SNA was 73.1° and 79.4°, SNB was 75.2° and 72.4°, ANB was −3.21° and 2.90°, SN-PP was 11.2° and 10.4°, Co-A was 84.3 mm and 87.5 mm, A-HR was 55.2 mm and 57.8 mm, A-VR was 62.4 mm and 64.7 mm, and SN-MP was 38.2 mm and 41.5 mm before and after treatment, respectively. Conclusion: FM proved to be beneficial in causing significant improvement in patients having combined cleft lip and palate.