[Differential diagnosis and treatment of cheilognathopalatoschises]

Cleft lip, alveolous and palate is the second frequent malformation in Europe with an incidence of 1 : 500. Pertaining to ontogeny it must be differentiated between cleft lip and alveolous and cleft palate. Cleft lip and cleft lip and alveolous can occur unilateral, right or left, or bilateral. Cleft bony palate can also occur unilateral, right or left, or bilateral, but cleft velum only in the median plane. Diagnostic and treatment of cleft lip and palate call for interdisciplinary cooperation between gynecologist/obstetrician, cranio-maxillo-facial surgeon, pediatrician, otorhinolaryngologist, orthodontist and logopedist. The schedule of primary cleft surgery in Germany is marked by a more-stage concept, in which at the end of the second year of life cleft lip and palate except cleft alveolous should be closed up. Despite of most careful surgery patients with cleft lip and palate can show functional and aesthetic disturbances. The functional disorders can affected masticatory function, speech, hearing and nasal breathing. Aesthetics disorders can be concerned to skeletal or soft tissue deformities of lip and nose. Operative corrections of bone and soft tissue can rehabilitate these patients entirely from functional and aesthetic view.