Treating cleft palate
The present application describes, inter alia, methods, devices, and systems for modeling and fabricating corrective appliances and methods of treating cleft palate using same.
1. A group of corrective appliances, each adapted to engage a shape of a unilateral cleft palate and each comprising:
(a) a first region that engages a major maxillary segment of the cleft palate; and
(b) a second region that engages a minor maxillary segment of the cleft palate, wherein the first and the second regions are separated by a distance and the distance in any one appliance in the group is different from the distance in any other appliance in the group.
2. The group of corrective appliances of claim 1 , wherein at least one appliance is formed of a material comprising nylon.
3. The group of corrective appliances of claim 1 , wherein at least one appliance is formed of a material comprising methyl methacrylate.
4. A group of corrective appliances, each adapted to engage a shape of a bilateral cleft palate and each comprising:
(a) a first region that engages a first maxillary segment of the cleft palate;
(b) a second region that engages a second maxillary segment of the cleft palate; and
(c) a third region that engages a premaxilla of the cleft palate, wherein the first region and the premaxilla are separated by a first distance and the second region and the premaxilla are separated by a second distance and at least one distance in any one appliance in the group is different from at least one distance in any other appliance in the group.
5. The group of corrective appliances of claim 4 , wherein at least one appliance is formed of a material comprising nylon.
6. The group of corrective appliances of claim 4 , wherein at least one appliance is formed of a material comprising methyl methacrylate.
7. A kit comprising at least two corrective appliances, each appliance comprising:
(a) a first region configured to engage a major maxillary segment of a unilateral cleft palate; and
(b) a second region configured to engage a minor maxillary segment of a unilateral cleft palate, wherein the first and the second regions are separated by a distance and the distance in any one appliance in the kit is different from the distance in any other appliance in the kit.
8. The kit of claim 7 , wherein at least one appliance is formed of a material comprising nylon.
9. The kit of claim 7 , wherein at least one appliance is formed of a material comprising methyl methacrylate.
10. A kit comprising at least two corrective appliances, each appliance comprising:
(a) a first region that engages a first maxillary segment of bilateral cleft palate;
(b) a second region that engages a second maxillary segment of a bilateral cleft palate; and
(c) a third region that engages a premaxilla of the bilateral cleft palate, wherein the first region and the premaxilla are separated by a first distance and the second region and the premaxilla are separated by a second distance and wherein at least one distance in any one appliance in the kit is different from a at least one distance in any other appliance in the kit.
11. The kit of claim 10 , wherein at least one appliance is formed of a material comprising nylon.
12. The kit of claim 10 , wherein at least one appliance is formed of a material comprising methyl methacrylate.