[Team management of orofacial clefts]

Abstract

In the Netherlands 15 centres provide multidisciplinary care for cleft lip and palate patients. Usually the following disciplines participate in such teams: paediatrics, plastic and reconstructive surgery, orthodontics, genetics, social work or nursing, ENT, speech therapy, maxillofacial surgery, prosthetic dentistry, psychology and oral hygiene. An overview is given of the treatment protocol from birth until 20 years of age for a child with a complete UCLP or BCLP. It is concluded that properly designed prospective clinical trials are rare, resulting in a lack of evidence based care in the field of cleft lip and palate. Furthermore it should be investigated whether it is preferable to centralise the cleft care in less centres than the present 15 ones.