When do cleft lip patients go to plastic surgery?

Cleft lip and cleft palate are the more prevalent of the congenital malformations. Currently, plastic surgery, oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthodontics, and otolaryngologists are available. These specialties are available in some large general hospitals as well as teaching hospitals, so most patients are very confused as to which specialty they should see first. After birth, a child with cleft lip and palate can go to plastic surgery or oral surgery to get a clear diagnosis of what type of cleft lip and palate deformity is present and whether it is very serious. In the case of a complete cleft lip with cleft palate, the orthodontist is often consulted first for an orthognathic jaw plate. Then the child can make an appointment for a cleft lip repair at 3-6 months of age at the orthopedic or oral surgery department; and a cleft palate repair at 12-18 months of age. Next, when the child with cleft palate begins to learn to speak, he or she can go to the oral surgery or ENT speech training team for speech training. Then as the child develops and grows, the cleft lip deformity will change further, with concomitant deformities of the lip and nose, while the scar from the first surgery will widen and affect the appearance, thus requiring repeated surgical revision, when the plastic surgeon has a greater role and also has experience in soft tissue revision and shaping that other departments do not have.