What is serial treatment of cleft lip and palate?

  With the development of medical science, the modern concept of cleft lip and palate treatment is no longer a mere surgical repair, but a three-dimensional treatment model including orthopedic-surgical-orthodontic-phonological restoration of normal anatomical and physiological functions. Cleft lip and palate sequential treatment is a concept based on this model in order to achieve the desired therapeutic effect.  Sequential treatment means treating the corresponding morphological, physiological and psychological defects of the patient from birth to adulthood, with each stage of growth and development. It also means to use the most appropriate method to obtain the best results at the best time of treatment, forming the procedure. In short, cleft lip and palate sequential treatment is a well-established implementation system involving multidisciplinary specialists to treat patients with cleft lip and palate in a comprehensive manner at the appropriate age and according to certain procedures.  The multidisciplinary specialists that make up the treatment team include maxillofacial surgeons, pediatricians, orthodontists, oral medicine, plastic surgeons, prosthodontists, otolaryngologists, orthognathic surgeons, speech pathologists, medical imaging specialists, nursing specialists, geneticists, psychologists, aesthetic medicine specialists, as well as social and public health workers. In other words, the current treatment for cleft lip and palate should at least include surgical treatment to repair the cleft and restore the anatomical form, orthodontic treatment to improve the dental structure, speech therapy to restore normal speech function, and psychological treatment to be able to cooperate with the treatment, learn smoothly, and adapt to life, work and society.