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. Among the disciplines involved and their contents: plastic surgery, maxillofacial surgery, orthodontics, prosthetics, speech pathology, otorhinolaryngology, orthognathic surgery, psychology, genetics, pediatrics and social workers.
Procedures and basic contents of sequential treatment of cleft lip and palate
1.Pre-surgical treatment
(1) Counseling and guidance on feeding for parents of affected children.
(2) Pre-operative orthodontic treatment for children with complete cleft lip and palate: inducing normal jaw development and creating conditions for cleft lip and palate surgery.
2. Timing of surgical treatment for cleft lip and palate
(1) Unilateral cleft lip: 3-6 months; bilateral cleft lip: 6-12 months
(2) Timing of surgical treatment for cleft palate (1-2 years old)
(3) Post-operative speech evaluation and speech therapy for cleft palate (4-6 years old)
(1) structural voice disorders: surgical repair
(2) Functional voice disorder: voice training treatment.
5.Second-stage surgical treatment of secondary deformities of cleft lip and palate
(1) Repair treatment of lip deformity after cleft lip surgery
(2) surgical treatment of incomplete palatopharyngeal closure after cleft palate surgery.
6.Osseous implantation of cleft alveolar ridge in cleft lip and palate patients (9-11 years old)
At the same time, it is necessary to observe the eruption of teeth according to the X-ray film, repair the alveolar ridge cleft, and restore the integrity and morphology of the dental arch.
7.Orthodontic treatment of cleft lip and palate
(1) Orthodontic treatment in the period of milk teeth.
(2) Orthodontic treatment in the period of tooth replacement and before and after alveolar ridge cleft bone grafting.
(3) Orthodontic treatment in permanent dentition
(4) Orthodontic treatment in orthognathic surgical treatment.
8.Orthognathic treatment 16-18 years old
Correction of deformity of jaw development due to cleft lip and palate deformity
9.Ear, nose and throat problems in patients with cleft lip and palate
The incidence of hearing loss in patients with cleft palate is 40-60%
Causes: exudative otitis media – conductive hearing impairment
Treatment: tympanotomy and tube drainage, etc.
10.Psychological problems of cleft lip and palate patients and psychotherapy (throughout the treatment)