Combined fMRI and MRI movie in the evaluation of articulation in subjects with and without cleft lip and palate.

Objective: This study was undertaken to explore the application of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and MRI movies in the evaluation of articulatory function in subjects with and without cleft lip and palate (CLP).

Design: The authors examined brain activation and the dynamic movement of articulators during bilabial and velar plosives using fMRI and MRI movies.

Subjects: Two subjects, one with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) and one with bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP), and 12 non-CLP volunteers.

Short-term changes in temporomandibular joint function in subjects with cleft lip and palate treated with maxillary distraction osteogenesis.

To investigate the short-term effects of maxillary distraction osteogenesis (DO) on temporomandibular joint (TMJ) function in 21 subjects with cleft lip and palate (CLP). Design - Morphological changes in the maxillofacial region were measured using lateral cephalometric radiographs taken immediately before (pre-DO) and after DO (post-DO) and 1 year after DO (1-year follow-up). A questionnaire was evaluated using a visual analog scale.