Cleft lip, jaw columns and palate (CLP), including the soft palate or Velumspalten columns are a congenital malformation that results from a combination of hereditary and environmental factors, that is multifactorial. During embryogenesis develop in early pregnancy is part of the face from the so-called gill arches and grow together later. Of failed or only partial fusion of the respective Kiemenbogenwülste leads to the aforementioned cleft. Currently, approximately one expects of such a malformation of 500 births, and thus the LKG columns are the most common congenital malformations in humans.
Previously, the cleft lip was often referred to as "hare-lip" or cleft palate as a "wolf's mouth".
Depending on when the developmental disorder occurred during pregnancy and the seriousness of the problems were, you experience different column forms. The cleft lip range from a simple small notch or uvula bifida up to the continuous column, the lip, jaw and palate is concerned. Columns on one side (unilateral) or both occur (bilateral). The left side is affected more frequently, and the reason is unclear.
The problems of such an abnormality are complex and therefore almost always force operating in a correction. The anatomical deficits that lead to drinking, breathing and speech difficulties must first surgically treated orthodontically and then possibly later dental-prosthesis. A speech therapy with any other surgical corrections can perfect the result.
The first operations carried out, depending on the degree of development of the child, already about 3-6 months, the treatment is continued with the closure of the jaw and palate in an age of 1 ½ years. Always will be to enable the operational adjustments have been completed for enrollment.
The lip, jaw and cleft palate sculptures can always be reached with the stationary tissue, as all tissue components are present. Only in the jaw column must often a bone graft from the rib of the tank or tanks are added to bridge the bony defects.
If missing teeth by the CLP-deformity, cleft patients can be very well furnished with dental implants, because in this indication must take the health insurance costs.
