Objective: Aim of this study was to evaluate effect of a tooth-borne appliance for interdental distraction osteogenesis on reduction of width of wide alveolar clefts.

Methodology: Seven patients were recruited to this study having wide clefts; wider than width of a canine . The appliance was custom-made for each patient using micro-expansion screw, osteotomies were done under general anesthesia, activation of distractor was done until clinically there was complete closure of cleft. After consolidation period, evaluation of cleft width reduction was examined radiographically. Statistical analysis was done, where all measurements were described in form of Mean and Standard Deviation. Comparison between pre-operative and post-operative data was done using paired t-test. Significance level was considered at P < 0.05.

Results: Clinically there was a significant reduction of width of alveolar cleft as well as closure of oro-nasal fistula . Radiographically, width of cleft was measured pre-distraction and post-consolidation at two levels; cervical level and apical level, there was a statistically significant difference between width of the cleft before and after distraction (P-value= 0.011) at caudal or occlusal part of the cleft, also there existed statistical difference in reduction of cleft width at level of root apices (P-value=0.031), with a less mean of width post distraction, denoting tipping of teeth in the transport segment.

Conclusion: This tooth-borne distractor was able to reduce width of cleft but has a drawback of causing tipping of teeth in transport segment, which requires docking site surgery in order to close cleft at nasal side.