Functional and fixed orthodontic treatment in a child with cerebral palsy

Cerebral palsy is a permanent neuromuscular motor disorder that results from injury in the developing brain during the prenatal or postnatal period. Common functional and craniofacial problems related to cerebral palsy include impaired swallowing, chewing, and speech; maxillary transverse deficiency; excessive anterior facial height; and Class II malocclusion. This article reports the treatment of a 12-year-old girl with ataxic cerebral palsy; she had a dental and skeletal Class II malocclusion, maxillary transverse deficiency, and severe crowding in both arches. Treatment included rapid maxillary expansion with simultaneous functional therapy and fixed orthodontic extraction therapy in a period of 2 years 3 months. Vertical control was maintained by a vertical chin-cap. An acceptable occlusion and improvements in facial esthetics, speech, and oral function were achieved.