Abstract

Orthodontic Treatment in CLP: Evidence Based Treatment

by Kuijpers-Jagtman Anne Marie

The health-care burden of children with clefts and their families is high and the deformity has an impact on all aspects of their lives. There is consensus that children with clefts need comprehensive, coordinated care by an interdisciplinary team. However, the road to success is littered with obstacles. The orthodontist plays a major role in the treatment of these patients from birth until adulthood and the orthodontic treatment contributes significantly to the burden of care. Therefore a carefully staged treatment is a prerequisite. A major problem is the lack of scientific evidence for several steps in the orthodontic treatment plan. To gain more evidence on orthodontic treatment for patients with clefts, two research approaches need to be pursued: prospective randomized controlled trials and controlled intercenter outcome studies. ‘’Ortho around Children’’ is the main theme of this meeting and the speaker will highlight some orthodontic aspects in young CLP patients that need scientific attention.

Learning Objectives

After this lecture, you will be able to define the four stages of orthodontic treatment of patients with cleft lip and palate
After this lecture, you will be able to recognize the limited evidence there is for several stages of the orthodontic treatment in patients with cleft lip and palate
After this lecture, you will be able to identify the importance of clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of patients with ororfacial clefts