Objective: To evaluate the outcome of secondary alveolar bone grafting (SABG) in patients with cleft lip and palate at 16 years of age and to identify predictors associated with surgical failure.
Study Design: This retrospective follow-up included 91 patients with 100 cleft palates treated with SABG at a mean age of 9.2 years. The possible predictors for surgical failure analyzed were sex, dental development stadium, type of cleft, side, tooth erupting into the graft, cortical boundary, presence of a lateral incisor, extraction, preoperative expansion, oral hygiene, retention device, and age. The outcome variable for surgical success was Bergland score I and II. Surgical outcome was analyzed at 16 years of age based on intraoral radiographs, according to the Bergland index. Statistical analyses included estimation of odds ratios for predictor variables.
Results: The post-SABG success rate was 91% (Bergland score I and II) with a mean follow-up of 7.2 years. Surgical failure was significantly associated with poor oral hygiene.
Conclusions: This study revealed a high success rate (91%) at a mean of 7.2 years post-SABG. Poor oral hygiene significantly increased the risk of surgical failure. This suggests that increased perioperative measures to maintain good oral health could reduce surgical failure.