[Prosthetic treatment by pushing back part of the hard palate in third-degree cleft palate]

In the third degree of cleft palate, the palate bones are short, the cleft is wide, the degree of palatal tissue atrophy and the anterior displacement of the muscles are great. It is difficult to repair satisfactorily. We carried out a treatment plan by pushing the soft palate and posterior part of the palatal bone fully back to the physiological closure position by surgical means without cutting through the palatal aponeurosis. By using a palatal plate with pharyngeal prong immediately after operation to fix the composite flap posteriorly and restore the defect of the hard palate. The palatal palate is changed with a silicon obturator or performed secondary operation to repair the perforation of the hard palate after the primary wound is well healed. 24 cases have been performed by this means since 1984. The outcomes are good. It is well conditioned for surgical orthodontics of severe crossbite which results from undeveloped maxilla also.