[Management of the cleft patient from birth to completion of the deciduous teeth]

Cleft lip and cleft palate are the most common defects of the craniofacial system. The treatment of children with this craniofacial malformation requires a multidisciplinary approach due to the complexity of their problems. Thus, cleft lip and palate teams have developed in many institutions, in order to provide the necessary medical and psychosocial treatment to these children. The treatment of children with cleft lip and cleft palate should begin right after birth and include their families as well. The purpose of the present paper is to present the problems of children with cleft lip and cleft palate from birth until the completion of their primary dentition. In addition, the systematic and comprehensive treatment planned by the various specialists of the team for the solution of the above problems, is presented in detail.