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A 41-year-old man with cleft palate presented with a wide dehiscence and missing teeth. Six implants had been placed for fabrication of an overdenture, which was unsatisfactory. A bar was waxed and cast for connection to the implants; precision attachments were placed laterally for retention. A fixed partial denture was fabricated, and milled crowns were fabricated at the molar region to provide a guiding plane for insertion of a removable palatal obturator. Good swallowing and speech outcomes were achieved. This technique provided functional and esthetic benefits, enhanced oral hygiene, and improved the psychological condition of the patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elective termination of pregnancy is prohibited in many countries, even after prenatal diagnosis of oral clefts. Though some studies address registries on termination of pregnancy, many investigations include only livebirths. This may lead to underestimation of the overall occurrence of oral clefts, influencing their reported prevalence. This paper does not intend to discuss if termination of pregnancy because of the presence of an oral cleft is justifiable from ethical, moral, or religious standpoints. Rather, its main goal is to promote a reflection on how the prevalence of oral clefts has been addressed and to rethink the reported differences in prevalence. Authors publishing on the prevalence of oral clefts might indicate the regulations and practices on pregnancy termination in their countries, so that readers may have an idea of what is beyond those findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of the presence of a soft tissue bridge (Simonart's band) in patients with complete cleft lip and alveolus and complete cleft lip and palate. Design: Cross-sectional. Sample: We assessed 407 consecutive unoperated patients first attending the Hospital for Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies of University of Sao Paulo, in Bauru, Sao Paulo, Brazil, in the year 2000. The patients were classified as presenting complete cleft of the primary palate or of the primary and secondary palate, unilateral or bilateral, as follows: unilateral cleft lip, bilateral cleft lip, unilateral cleft lip and palate, and bilateral cleft lip and palate. Method: Clinical examination. The band was considered as present whenever there was a soft tissue bridge between the separated alveolar ridges, regardless of volume and position. Results were analyzed by descriptive statistics and were expressed as percentages, according to the type of cleft. Conclusion: 31.2% of patients presented with Simonart's band. The band was observed more frequently in patients with unilateral clefts than in patients with bilateral clefts, and in patients with complete cleft lip and alveolus than in patients with complete cleft lip and palate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study analyzed the systemic and oral abnormalities in individuals with Kabuki syndrome (KS) that might be investigated to enhance the early diagnosis and treatment by a multidisciplinary team, minimizing the consequences to the individual's health., Study Design: Clinical examination was conducted on 15 individuals to investigate orodental alterations such as tooth abnormalities and cleft lip and/or palate, and the patient records were also reviewed to investigate systemic diseases such as cardiopathies, infectious and immunologic diseases, nephropathies, and delayed neuropsychomotor development., Results: All individuals with KS presented cleft lip and/or palate, 11 (73.34%) tooth abnormalities, 5 (33.34%) congenital cardiopathies, 12 (80%) infectious or immunologic diseases, 1 (6.67%) nephropathy, and 14 (93.34%) had an intellectual disability., Conclusion: Individuals with KS often have dental anomalies such as hypodontia, cleft or palate, and systemic disorders such as congenital heart disease and infectious diseases. Intellectual disability is present in most cases. These alterations should be investigated as early as possible to prevent the increase in morbidity in these individuals., Competing Interests: Declaration of interest None., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The assessment of rehabilitation outcomes requires a patient documentation protocol, including records obtained at standardized ages, to compare different types of surgeries, their effects, as well as between different rehabilitation centers. The aim of this paper was to present proper trays for babies with different types of cleft lip and palate, which are used in the outpatient routine at Hospital of Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies/USP (HRAC/USP). The customized trays are made with self-curing acrylic resin. The tray must have suitable depth to copy the buccal sulcus, and wax is usually applied to contour the tray edge, and the adjustment of the tray to the fornix, making the tray specific for each child. The impression precludes the utilization of dental casts for diagnosis, treatment plan, and research measurements. In the clinical practice at HRAC-USP, it was observed that customized trays increased the quality of impression, accurately reproducing anatomical features of dental arches of babies with oral clefts.

The objective of this systematic review was to identify the available scientific evidence on bone substitutes (BSs) compared with autogenous bone grafts (ABGs) for regeneration of horizontal bone resorption in the anterior maxillary alveolar process, aiming at rehabilitation with endosseous implants. This review was performed according to the PRISMA guidelines (2020) and registered in the database PROSPERO (CRD: 42017070574). The databases searched were PUBMED/MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCOPUS, SCIENCE DIRECT, WEB OF SCIENCE, and CENTRAL COCHRANE, in the English language. The Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool were used to assess the study's quality and risk of bias. A total of 524 papers were found. After the selection process, 6 studies were selected for review. A total of 182 patients were followed for a period of 6 to 48 months. The mean age of patients was 46.46 years, and 152 implants were installed in the anterior region. Two studies achieved a reduced graft and implant failure rate, whereas the remaining 4 studies had no losses. It may be concluded that the use of ABGs and some BSs is a viable alternative for the rehabilitation with implants in individuals with anterior horizontal bone loss. However, additional randomized controlled trials are warranted due to the limited number of papers.

Objective: To compare occlusal relationship in patients undergoing neonate versus conventional lip surgery (LS) with and without infant orthopedics (IO) by assessment of dental arch relationship in individuals with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate., Material and Methods: Three groups treated by different protocols; Group I: neonate LS (1-15 days) + IO and palatoplasty (13-31 months); Group II: LS (3-12 months) + IO and palatoplasty (15-35 months); and Group III: LS (3-6 months) without IO and palatoplasty (12-18 months). The 112 intraoral photographs of individuals of all groups, obtained between 6 and 12 years of age, were assessed by the occlusal index for intraoral photograph rating. The groups were compared by the χ 2 test. The correlation between surgical timing and the scores was tested by the Spearman test ( P < .05)., Results: Group I presented the highest percentage of score 5, group II exhibited highest percentage of score 1, and group III presented the lowest percentage of score 5 according to the χ 2 test ( P = .029). The Spearman correlation test revealed statistically significant difference between timing of LS and the occlusal index. The earlier the surgical timing, the higher the occlusal index ( P = .019)., Conclusions: Infant orthopedics has demonstrated the possibility of postponing primary plastic surgeries. Patients submitted to late lip and palate repair had the best prognosis, while patients undergoing lip repair from 1 to 15 days of life, even operating the palate later, had the worst prognosis. Neonate LS negatively influenced the occlusal relationships.

Context: The reproductive axis is controlled by a network of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons born in the primitive nose that migrate to the hypothalamus alongside axons of the olfactory system. The observation that congenital anosmia (inability to smell) is often associated with GnRH deficiency in humans led to the prevailing view that GnRH neurons depend on olfactory structures to reach the brain, but this hypothesis has not been confirmed., Objective: The objective of this work is to determine the potential for normal reproductive function in the setting of completely absent internal and external olfactory structures., Methods: We conducted comprehensive phenotyping studies in 11 patients with congenital arhinia. These studies were augmented by review of medical records and study questionnaires in another 40 international patients., Results: All male patients demonstrated clinical and/or biochemical signs of GnRH deficiency, and the 5 men studied in person had no luteinizing hormone (LH) pulses, suggesting absent GnRH activity. The 6 women studied in person also had apulsatile LH profiles, yet 3 had spontaneous breast development and 2 women (studied from afar) had normal breast development and menstrual cycles, suggesting a fully intact reproductive axis. Administration of pulsatile GnRH to 2 GnRH-deficient patients revealed normal pituitary responsiveness but gonadal failure in the male patient., Conclusions: Patients with arhinia teach us that the GnRH neuron, a key gatekeeper of the reproductive axis, is associated with but may not depend on olfactory structures for normal migration and function, and more broadly, illustrate the power of extreme human phenotypes in answering fundamental questions about human embryology., (© Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Endocrine Society 2020.)

Objective: To evaluate the influence of cleft type and width, canine eruption stage, and surgeon on the outcomes of alveolar graft with rhBMP-2., Design: Cross-sectional., Setting: Tertiary craniofacial center., Participants: Ninety individuals submitted to alveolar graft in late mixed or early permanent dentition., Interventions: The 90 individuals (mean age: 16.8 years) were submitted to alveolar graft with rhBMP-2. Periapical radiographs were obtained before and 6 months after surgery. Surgeries were performed by 4 experienced maxillofacial surgeons. The alveolar grafts were assigned as success or failure by 3 blinded raters based on the modified Bergland and Chelsea scales. Permanent canines adjacent to the defect were assigned as erupted and not erupted. The greatest cleft width was measured on preoperative periapical radiographs., Main Outcome Measures: The influence of 4 independent variables (cleft type, cleft width, canine eruption phase, and surgeon) on the outcome of alveolar graft was analyzed by multivariate logistic regression ( P < .05)., Results: All independent variables presented significant influence on alveolar graft outcome. The subgroup of unerupted maxillary canines demonstrated better outcomes than erupted canines ( P = .001). The group with cleft lip and alveolus (CL/A) demonstrated better outcomes than complete cleft lip and palate (CLP; P < .001). The greater the alveolar cleft width, the less favorable were the graft outcomes ( P = .027). The surgeon also had a significant influence on the surgery success ( P = .003 and .001)., Conclusion: The type and width of CLP, the eruption of permanent canines, and the surgeon influenced the outcome of alveolar graft surgeries performed with rhBMP-2.

Purpose: This study evaluated the effect of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on the healing of bone defects filled with autogenous bone or bioactive glass., Materials and Methods: A critical size defect with 5-mm diameter was created on the calvaria of 60 adult male rats divided into 6 groups (n = 10): group C (control), group LLLT (LLLT - GaAlAs, wavelength of 780 nm, power of 100 mW, energy density of 210 J/cm 2 per point during 60 seconds/point, in five points, only once, after creation of the surgical defect), group AB (autogenous bone), group AB+LLLT (autogenous bone + LLLT), group BG (bioactive glass), group BG+LLLT (bioactive glass + LLLT). All animals were sacrificed at 30 days after surgery. The areas of newly formed bone (ANFB) and areas of remaining particles (ARP) were calculated in relation to the total area (TA)., Results: The highest mean ± SD ANFB was observed for group LLLT (47.67% ± 8.66%), followed by groups AB+LLLT (30.98% ± 16.59%) and BG+LLLT (31.13% ± 16.98%). There was a statistically significant difference in relation to ANFB between group C and the other groups, except for comparison with group BG (Tukey test, P > .05). There was no statistically significant difference in ANFB values between group AB and the other study groups (Tukey test, P > .05), group AB+LLLT and groups BG and BG+LLLT (Tukey test, P > .05), and between groups BG and BG+LLLT (Tukey test, P > .05). The highest mean ± SD ARP was found for group BG (25.15% ± 4.82%), followed by group BG+LLLT (17.06% ± 9.01%), and there was no significant difference between groups (t test, P > .05)., Conclusion: The LLLT, in the present application protocol, did not increase the area of new bone formation when associated with autogenous bone or bioactive glass.

Objective: Frontonasal dysplasia is a rare developmental defect of the midface, and little is known about the dental involvement in individuals with this condition. This study investigated tooth abnormalities and occlusal disorders in individuals with frontonasal dysplasia., Design: Cross-sectional., Setting: Hospital for Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies, University of São Paulo, Bauru, Brazil., Interventions: Clinical oral examination, analysis of patient records, and panoramic radiographs., Participants: A total of 20 individuals with frontonasal dysplasia aged 7 to 17 years., Main Outcome Measures: Prevalence of the several tooth abnormalities and occlusal disorders analyzed., Results: A total of 19 individuals presented at least one tooth abnormality, with highly variable findings. In radiographs, 20% of individuals (all presenting oral clefts) presented agenesis of lateral incisors and second premolars. No supernumerary teeth were observed; 65% of individuals exhibited occlusal alterations, especially anterior open bite in the two individuals with median cleft lip., Conclusions: Variable clinical and radiographic alterations were observed, probably due to the large variety of phenotypic characteristics. No specific dental alteration could be related with frontonasal dysplasia.

Objective: To evaluate the evolution of facial edema in the postoperative period after alveolar graft surgeries performed with collagen membrane soaked with recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) in individuals with cleft lip and palate., Design: Longitudinal prospective., Setting: Tertiary craniofacial center., Participants: One hundred fifty individuals submitted to alveolar graft., Interventions: In the preoperative consultation and 4 days after surgery, the individuals were assessed as to age, professional performing the surgery, duration of the procedure, type of cleft, measurement of facial edema, mouth opening, and global evaluation of the postoperative period., Main Outcome Measures: Statistical analysis was performed to compare the facial edema and different variables, at a significance level of .05., Results: The maximum facial edema occurred between 3 and 4 days postoperatively, was inversely proportional to age and mouth opening, greater for female patients compared with male patients, for incomplete unilateral cleft lip and palate compared with other types of clefts, and for surgeon 1 compared with the other surgeons at some moment postoperatively. The surgeries were longer for complete unilateral and bilateral clefts. The difference was statistically significant for these variables., Conclusions: The facial edema was influenced by the rhBMP-2 used in alveolar graft, and trismus was proportional to the intensity of facial edema.

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of fistulas after palate repair and analyze their location and association with possible causal factors., Design: Retrospective analysis of patient records and evaluation of preoperative initial photographs., Setting: Tertiary craniofacial center., Participants: Five hundred eighty-nine individuals with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate that underwent palate repair at the age of 12 to 36 months by the von Langenbeck technique, in a single stage, by the plastic surgery team of the hospital, from January 2003 to July 2007., Interventions: The cleft width was visually classified by a single examiner as narrow, regular, or wide. The following regions of the palate were considered for the location: anterior, medium, transition (between hard and soft palate), and soft palate., Main Outcome Measures: Descriptive statistics and analysis of association between the occurrence of fistula and the different parameters were evaluated., Results: Palatal fistulas were observed in 27% of the sample, with a greater proportion at the anterior region (37.11%). The chi-square statistical test revealed statistically significant association (P ≤ .05) between the fistulas and initial cleft width (P = .0003), intraoperative problems (P = .0037), and postoperative problems (P = .00002)., Conclusions: The prevalence of palatal fistula was similar to mean values reported in the literature. Analysis of causal factors showed a positive association between palatal fistulas with wide and regular initial cleft width and intraoperative and postoperative problems. The anterior region presented the greatest occurrence of fistulas.

This study isolated and quantified intestinal bacteria of children with cleft palate before and after palatoplasty. A prospective study was conducted from May 2007 to September 2008 on 18 children with cleft palate, aged one to four years, of both genders, attending a tertiary cleft center in Brazil for palatoplasty, to analyze the effect of surgical palate repair on the concentration of anaerobes Bacteroides sp, Bifidobacterium sp and microaerophiles Lactobacillus sp in feces of infants with cleft palate before and 24 hours after treatment with cefazolin for palatoplasty. There was significant reduction of Lactobacillus sp (p < 0.002), Bacteroides sp (p < 0.001) and Bifidobacterium sp (p = 0.021) after palatoplasty, revealing that surgery and utilization of cefazolin significantly influenced the fecal microbiota comparing collections before and after surgery. However, due to study limitations, it was not possible to conclude that other isolated factors, such as surgical stress, anesthetics and other medications used in palatoplasty might have a significant influence on the microbiota. Considering the important participation of the intestinal microbiota on both local and systemic metabolic and immunological activities of the host, professionals should be attentive to the possible influence of these changes in patients submitted to cleft repair.

This study investigated the prevalence of oral habits in children with clefts aged three to six years, compared to a control group of children without clefts in the same age range, and compared the oral habits between children with clefts with and without palatal fistulae. The sample was composed of 110 children aged 3 to 6 years with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate and 110 children without alterations. The prevalence of oral habits and the correlation between habits and presence of fistulae (for children with clefts) were analyzed by questionnaires applied to the children caretakers. The cleft influenced the prevalence of oral habits, with lower prevalence of pacifier sucking for children with cleft lip and palate and higher prevalence for all other habits, with significant association (P < 0.05). There was no significant association between oral habits and presence of fistulae (P > 0.05). The lower prevalence of pacifier sucking and higher prevalence of other oral habits agreed with the postoperative counseling to remove the pacifier sucking habit when the child is submitted to palatoplasty, possibly representing a substitution of habits. There was no causal relationship between habits and presence of palatal fistulae.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of dental anomalies in individuals with Richieri-Costa-Pereira syndrome., Study Design: A total of 13 individuals with Richieri-Costa-Pereira syndrome who were older than 8 years with at least 1 available panoramic radiograph were assessed. Dental anomalies were evaluated clinically and radiographically and classified as hyperplastic, hypoplastic, or heterotopic and as alterations of shape, number, position, and structure. Enamel alterations were classified by the DDE index., Results: All individuals exhibited anomalies, with predominance of hypoplastic disorders, mainly agenesis of mandibular incisors and second premolars and demarcated creamy-white enamel opacities primarily affecting the maxillary premolars., Conclusions: Individuals with Richieri-Costa Pereira syndrome exhibit high prevalence of tooth agenesis, especially mandibular incisors and premolars, as well as high frequency of enamel opacities. These findings are compatible with the mandibular cleft observed in all individuals and also reflect the hypoplastic characteristic of the syndrome., (Copyright © 2012 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

A 41-year-old man with cleft palate presented with a wide dehiscence and missing teeth. Six implants had been placed for fabrication of an overdenture, which was unsatisfactory. A bar was waxed and cast for connection to the implants; precision attachments were placed laterally for retention. A fixed partial denture was fabricated, and milled crowns were fabricated at the molar region to provide a guiding plane for insertion of a removable palatal obturator. Good swallowing and speech outcomes were achieved. This technique provided functional and esthetic benefits, enhanced oral hygiene, and improved the psychological condition of the patient.

This study evaluated the surface integrity of sutures after immersion in mouthrinse or water, by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. Pieces of resorbable suture remaining after oral surgery were immediately collected. Twelve pieces each of catgut, chromed catgut, and polyglactin 910 were divided into four groups and immersed in pure mouthrinse, mouthrinse diluted in water at 1:1 and 1:2, or water (positive control), for 24 h. Three pieces each of new sutures were used as negative control. Specimens were placed on stubs and sputter coated with gold for SEM analysis. Observation of experimental groups and comparison with controls revealed that immersion in the mouthrinse at different dilutions did not alter their surface; slight, nonsignificant changes were found in some experimental specimens yet also in the positive control group. It was concluded that immersion of resorbable sutures in water or non-alcoholic benzydamine hydrochloride mouthrinse did not produce any significant change; therefore, this mouthrinse may be safely employed after oral surgery.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of tooth abnormalities and soft tissue changes in patients with velocardiofacial syndrome., Study Design: Twenty-six patients with velocardiofacial syndrome were examined to investigate the presence of tooth abnormalities and soft tissue alterations. The occurrence of tooth agenesis and supernumerary teeth was compared to patients without morphofunctional alterations, matched for gender and age., Results: Of all patients, 76.92% exhibited at least one tooth abnormality, with predominance of hypoplastic alterations, especially represented by hypodevelopment of the lingual cusp of mandibular first premolars and enamel opacities. The occurrence of tooth agenesis and supernumerary teeth was similar in both study and control groups., Conclusion: the present results suggest an association between hypodevelopment of the lingual cusp of mandibular first premolars and enamel opacities, yet these findings still require corroboration. Future studies should further investigate these aspects in larger samples compared to control groups, as well as employing molecular genetics techniques.

The observation of mirror-image clefts in conjoined twins may suggest an influence from environmental factors (e.g., poor blood supply) on the appearance of clefts. The present paper reports on a pair of male thoracopagus twins born to a 20-year-old woman. The twins were stillborn. Both twins exhibited complete unilateral cleft lip and palate with mirror-image configuration, affecting the left side for twin A and the right side for twin B. The twins also shared some organs. The case is discussed with similar information in the literature, with reference to possible related etiologic factors. Reporting on such occurrences throughout the world is important to shed light on important aspects underlying the formation of clefts.

Objective: To evaluate the speech intelligibility of patients with clefts before and after placement of a speech prosthesis., Design: Cross-sectional., Setting: Hospital for Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies, University of São Paulo (HRAC/USP), Bauru, Brazil., Patients: Twenty-seven patients with unoperated cleft palate or operated cleft palate presenting with velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) after primary palatoplasty, treated with speech prosthesis, aged 8 to 63 years., Interventions: Patients were fitted with palatopharyngeal obturators or pharyngeal bulbs, suitable to their dental needs. Five speech-language pathologists blindly evaluated speech samples of the patients with and without the prosthesis., Main Outcome Measures: Classification of speech samples according to a scoring system developed for speech intelligibility problems: 1 (normal), 2 (mild), 3 (mild to moderate), 4 (moderate), 5 (moderate to severe), and 6 (severe). Results were evaluated by the calculation of means of all judges for each patient in both situations., Results: The judges presented significant agreement (W=.789, p<.01). Speech intelligibility was significantly better after placement of the prosthesis for both unoperated patients (Z=1.93, p=.02) and operated patients with VPI after primary palatoplasty (Z=1.78, p=.03)., Conclusions: Speech intelligibility may be improved by rehabilitation of patients with cleft palate using a speech prosthesis. Speech therapy is needed to eliminate any compensatory articulation productions developed prior to prosthetic management.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of an oral hygiene program for orthodontic patients with cleft lip and palate., Design: Retrospective pilot study., Setting: Hospital for Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies, Bauru, Brazil., Patients: One hundred twenty-two patients with complete cleft lip and palate undergoing orthodontic treatment., Interventions: Orientation on toothbrushing and flossing, plaque disclosure, and scoring according to an especially designed index., Main Outcome Measures: Statistical comparison of variation in plaque index between sessions; correlation of intervals between sessions and variation in plaque index., Results: Mean scores were reduced significantly, from 2.17 to 1.75 between first and second, 2.18 to 1.62 between first and third, and 1.93 to 1.62 between second and third sessions. Plaque reduction was inversely proportional to the time interval., Conclusions: The program demonstrated a significant plaque reduction. The highest reduction between the first and second sessions reveals the need to reinforce the initial instructions at all sessions. The greatest reduction observed at shorter intervals highlights the need for regular follow up. More controlled studies on larger samples should be encouraged to evaluate the validity of the index and the efficacy of similar programs worldwide.

Objective: To examine the prevalence of dental anomalies in the deciduous and permanent teeth, ectopic eruption of permanent first molars, and associated oral malformations in individuals with Treacher Collins syndrome., Study Design: Clinical and radiographic examination of 15 patients with Treacher Collins syndrome, from the Hospital for Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies of the University of São Paulo, not submitted to orthodontic or orthognathic treatment., Results: Dental anomalies were present in 60% of the sample, with 1-8 anomalies per individual. Hypoplastic dental anomalies were the most common, followed by heterotopic and hyperplastic dental alterations. The most frequent anomalies were tooth agenesis (33.3%), mainly affecting the mandibular second premolars, and enamel opacities (20% of patients). Ectopic eruption of the maxillary first molars was found in 13.3% of subjects. Associated oral malformations, primarily isolated cleft palate, followed by complete cleft lip and palate and macrostomia, were observed in 66.7% of patients., Conclusions: Presence of cleft palate associated with the syndrome is in agreement with the literature. The high prevalence of dental anomalies suggests a possible etiologic relationship, not described in the literature so far, between such alterations and the Treacher Collins syndrome. Further investigations on larger samples are required to confirm these results.

There is a lack of data on the oral health status of individuals with craniofacial syndromes. A group of 15 children with Treacher Collins syndrome, aged 5 to 15 years old, was examined and evaluated for plaque, caries and gingival problems. The ability of the patients to clean their teeth was also investigated. A high plaque index and poor efficacy of tooth-brushing was recorded. The caries and gingival indexes were not proportionally as high as the plaque accumulation. There was no association between the gingival index and presence of mouth breathing. There was predominance of the D component in both the dmft and DMFT indexes; this was associated with a need for restorative dental treatment in 60% of the patients, which indicated the need for dental care for these patients. Caretakers should be informed of the importance of oral health and oral hygiene and encouraged to take responsibility for the oral care of the children living at home.

Objective: To investigate the pattern of breast-feeding and sugar intake among babies with cleft lip and palate., Participants: Caretakers of 200 babies with cleft lip and palate enrolled at the Hospital for Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies, University of São Paulo, Bauru, Brazil., Results: A low prevalence of breast-feeding was found. The most reported reason was the sucking inability of the baby. Complete cleft lip and palate was the primary cause affecting sucking. The first contact with sugar occurred mainly through the baby bottle with milk during the first month of life. For nutritional supplement, the children were given sugar and fruit juices in the bottle., Conclusions: It was observed that dietary habits in babies with cleft lip and palate are more risky. This highlights the role played by early education and constant oral hygiene follow-up for prevention in these patients.

Many dentists refuse to offer dental assistance to cleft lip and palate patients because they lack understanding about this malformation and do not want to make a professional mistake with the anesthesia. The aim of this work is to guide clinical practitioners, who want to work with these patients about the anatomical features of the cleft lip and palate area and the implications in the anesthetic procedures.