Purpose: To establish a new method of presurgical alveolar molding using computer aided design(CAD) in infants with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP).
Methods: Ten infants with complete UCLP were recruited. A maxillary impression was taken at the first examination after birth. The study model was scanned by a non-contact three-dimensional laser scanner and a digital model was constructed and analyzed to simulate the alveolar molding procedure with reverse engineering software (RapidForm 2006). The digital geometrical data were exported to produce a scale model using rapid prototyping technology. The whole set of appliances was fabricated based on these solid models.
Results: The digital model could be viewed and measured from any direction by the software. By the end of the NAM treatment before surgical lip repair, the cleft was narrowed and the malformation of alveolar segments was aligned normally, significantly improving nasal symmetry and nostril shape.
Conclusions: Presurgical NAM using CAD could simplify the treatment procedure and estimate the treatment objective, which enabled precise control of the force and direction of the alveolar segments movement.