Chin bone graft for maxillary alveolar cleft: indications and limitations.

BACKGROUND: Alveolar bone grafting (ABG) is an important step in the management of patients with cleft lip and palate. Choice of autogenous bone grafting is critical to achieve the goals of alveolar cleft bone grafting. This study was designed to determine which situations are suitable for obtaining bone from the chin in ABG. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a retrospective study, the alveolar clefts that had been bone-grafted from the chin bone were selected from the archived files of the Oral and Maxillofacial Department, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in 2004 to 2012. The patients were recalled and postoperative panoramic and lateral cephalometry views were obtained. RESULTS: Seventeen patients were included in this study, with 53% females and 70.5% unilateral maxillary alveolar clefts. The follow-up was from 2 to 6 years. The mean age of the patients at the time of surgery was 17 +/- 3.8 years. CONCLUSION: Harvesting bone from the chin is easy and safe, with low morbidity. Considering the fact that the volume of the harvested bone is low, especially in the presence of unerupted mandibular canine, autogenous chin bone is recommended for late ABG, especially in unilateral cases when the plan is to close the gap in the arch orthodontically while there is no need for lateral piriform augmentation.