Management of children with clefts of the lip or palate: an overview.

Patients with clefts of the lip and palate present a number of problems associated with speech and hearing during early childhood, dental anomalies and malocclusion in the developing dentition, and secondary facial deformities and emotional "burn out" in adolescence. Appreciation of the differences in velopharyngeal function, hearing, speech, growth, and dental development is important in understanding the detailed and sequential multidisciplinary management required for patients with clefts. The dentist is an important member of the cleft-palate team, providing an essential role in establishing a preventive plan, monitoring the dental needs of the patient, and motivating and educating the patient. A very favourable outcome is now possible for these individuals, largely as a result of a team approach to management.