Dental and prosthodontic care for patients with cleft or craniofacial conditions

Abstract

Prosthodontic treatment has a long and rich history in the care of patients with cleft lip and palate. Because of increased knowledge of craniofacial growth and development and improved surgical and orthodontic treatment, today's cleft patients receive better care and in less time. This requires less prosthetic intervention. Still, prosthetics retains an important, if somewhat diminished, place in cleft care, and the prosthodontist remains an integral member of the cleft/craniofacial habilitation team. This review presents the current state of the art in dental/prosthodontic care for patients with cleft palate and related craniofacial anomalies.