Cleft lip, cleft palate, and other fusion disorders

The more common consequences of mesodermal migrational delay or failure in the fourth to seventh weeks of gestational life and of plate fusion failure in the seventh to twelfth weeks of gestational life are cleft lip and cleft palate, respectively. The team approach with a balanced emphasis allowing optimal development of deglutition, speech, hearing, facial growth, and dental development combined with acceptable esthetic results provides comprehensive treatment and an improved outlook for this long term problem.