Yes, of course. A cleft can be defined as a furrow in the palate or the vault or lip. Clefts can be detected as early as 20 weeks into the pregnancy and need orthodontic treatment till 21 years.
Children born with a cleft are more likely to have fewer teeth or extra teeth, a narrow top jaw, crowded or crooked teeth, impaired hearing, impaired speech and aesthetics. Crooked teeth can impair oral health and lead to tooth decay.
Management
Stage I
- An acrylic obdurator is fabricated for feeding and maxilla is strapped and approximated
- Lip closure- is carried at 10 weeks when baby is 10 pounds of weight and has 10gm % of Haemoglobin.
- Palate closure – this carried out between 12 to 24 months of age.
Stage II
- Crossbite correction and maintenance of oral hygiene is done from 24 months to 6 years
- The dental teeth sequence and oral hygiene is observed at this stage
Stage III
- Arch expansion and maxillary protraction is carried out between 6years to 12 years of age
- Fixed appliance braces therapy is initiated to guide the canine into occlusion.
Stage IV
- The orthodontist, oral surgeon and the plastic surgeon all work together to get the perfect esthetics.
- Furthermore, the child may require speech therapy, hearing therapy and psychological therapy
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