Palatal changes after lip surgery in different types of cleft lip and palate

This study concerns palatal development during 6 months following primary lip closure. The sample consisted of 75 children with different forms of cleft lip and palate and 51 noncleft children. The palate was measured at 3 months of age, just before lip surgery, after surgery at 6 months, and again at 9 months of age. The results showed that lip closure has a strong effect in the anterior alveolar region. This effect was restricted to 3 months after surgery. The changes in complete clefts were more explicit than in incomplete cleft forms. Furthermore, the data showed that arch depth reduction due to lip surgery was compensated for by continued anteroposterior palatal growth. Early orthopedics appeared to prevent major palatal collapse immediately after lip surgery. Finally simultaneous closure of the alveolar cleft at the nasal side resulted in continued reduction of anterior cleft width.