Objective: To evaluate the relationship between external apical root resorption (EARR) of the maxillary central incisors (U1), horizontal orthodontic tooth movement, and quantity of grafted bone in subjects with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) over an average duration of 8 years.
Materials and Methods: Thirty subjects with UCLP were evaluated for EARR of U1 after edgewise treatment (T2). The teeth were classified as having no EARR, moderate EARR (combined into "no/moderate" EARR), or severe EARR. Frontal cephalometric radiographs acquired at eruption of U1 (T0), less than 6 months before secondary alveolar bone grafting (T1), and T2 were evaluated to determine the horizontal inclination (U1-axis angle) and distance of the root apex from the median line (U1-root-VL distance). On the cleft side, the quantities of grafted bone at less than 12 months postsecondary bone grafting and at T2 were evaluated using the alveolar bone graft (ABG) scale.
Results: Cleft-adjacent teeth exhibited more severe EARR than did teeth on the noncleft side. The cleft side exhibited greater changes in U1-axis angle and U1-root VL distance between T0 and T2 than did the noncleft side. On the cleft side, the ABG score at T2 in the severe EARR group was significantly lower than that in the no/moderate EARR group. These measurements were correlated with EARR grade.
Conclusions: Cleft-adjacent U1 exhibited more severe EARR than did the U1 on the noncleft side, which might be associated with orthodontic treatment-induced changes in horizontal inclination and root apex movement. On the cleft side, severity of EARR may be correlated with the success of ABG.