This study focuses on the issue of maxillary bone developmental abnormalities in cleft palate patients, breaking through the traditional cognitive limitation of attributing the condition solely to surgical scar effects. Clinical observations revealed that maxillary retrusion also exists in unoperated cleft palate patients, leading to the hypothesis that nasal cavity pressure may have an influence on maxillary bone development in these patients. Using finite element analysis techniques, a 3-dimensional model of the soft palate—trachea region was constructed to simulate the pressure changes on the nasal surface of the maxillary bone under different velopharyngeal closure states (velopharyngeal insufficiency, excessive velopharyngeal closure, and normal state). The results showed that the size of the velopharyngeal gap is closely related to the airflow pressure stimulation received by the maxillary bone. The larger the velopharyngeal distance, the stronger the negative pressure on the surface of the maxillary bone, which may inhibit its development; the smaller the velopharyngeal distance, the weaker the negative pressure, which helps to reduce the inhibitory effect. This study provides a new perspective for understanding the mechanism of maxillary bone development in cleft palate patients and offers important guidance for optimizing cleft palate treatment strategies.
Wu et al. (Tue,) studied this question.