Cone Beam-CT-Based Bone Volume Assessments of Alveolar Synthetic Bone Graft GlassBONE™ in Cleft Lip and Palate Patients: A Retrospective Study.

Background: Clefts of the lip and palate (CLP) are facial deformities that require multiple surgical procedures during childhood. One of these steps consists of filling the alveolar space with bone graft, traditionally removed from the iliac crest. However, this procedure could be invasive in children.

Aim: Here, we aimed to evaluate the outcomes of GlassBONE™ graft, a bioactive glass used as a bone substitute, as an alternative to the deleterious autologous bone graft in children.

Materials & Methods: Retrospective monocentric study with 17 children aged 7.5 ± 2.2 yo [3.8-13.3 yo] carrying CLP. This technique has been established at La Timone Children hospital (Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Marseille) since 2011. Clinical (scar, graft rejection and periodontal status) and radiological (both panoramic radiographs and cone beam-CT) follow-up was conducted one year after the graft. The primary outcome was the reduction of the cleft volume, and secondary was the eruption of the adjacent tooth through the graft.

Results: GlassBONE™ permitted a significant reduction in the cleft volume by 42.4 ± 27.7% [0.6-81.1%] ( < 0.0001), corresponding to a filling of 57.6 ± 27.7% of the alveolar cleft. GlassBONE™ is well tolerated, ensuring satifactory clinical results (improvement in both scar and periodontal coverage), as well as the physiological evolution of the germs through the biomaterial. GlassBONE™ appears particularly suitable for small volumes, and we were able to determine a minimum volume of approximtely 0.259 + / - 0.155 cc required for a successful bone fusion.

Conclusion: The bioactive glass GlassBONE™ could be safely used in children with small CLP cases, providing satisfactory clinical and radiological results.