Presurgical nasoalveolar remodeling – an experience in the journey of cleft lip and palate

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To assess the effect of presurgical nasoalveolar molding (PNAM) therapy in the management of patients with nonsyndromic unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP). MATERIAL AND METHOD: Ten patients with UCLP treated from 2009 to 2012. The initiation for PNAM treatment was 7 days and the average time of the treatment was 175 days. Measurements on patients and of casts were made, and statistical analysis was used to evaluate the changes in pre- and posttreatment measurements. RESULTS: Subsequent to PNAM treatment, there was a statistically considerable rise in cleft nostril height and columellar width. There was reduction in both intraoral cleft width and columellar deviation, which was significant statistically. CONCLUSION: PNAM treatment reduces alveolar cleft width. It enhances symmetry of the nose by changing columellar angulation, preserving alar width bilaterally, gaining height of the nostril on the affected side, and increasing columellar length.