Follow-up investigations on operated cleft palates

Follow-up investigations were made on 98 uni- and bilateral cleft lip and palate patients referred to an orthodonitc therapy. As the patients have been operated by various methods and by different surgeons, the question arose as to whether the timing of the operation still influences the development of the dentition. Early operated patients (uranoplasty) exhibited more often impaired maxillary growth than late operated patients. Orthodontic interventions proved especially successful when applied early and when they were not hindered by cicatrical contractions.