Surgery is the primary treatment for cleft lip and palate. When the cleft lip and palate defects are found during pregnancy, some mild cases can be treated by surgery before birth. However, if the condition is severe or found after birth, the treatment will be on a long-term basis. The treatment is divided into phases:

Phase 1 Lip repair around 3 months of age

Phase 2 Palate repair around 1 year of age before speech development

Phase 3 Speech therapy between 1 and 5 years of age if indicated

Phase 4 Bone-grafting to cleft maxillary arch around 9 years of age

Phase 5 Orthodontic treatment to align teeth after bone grafting procedure

Phase 6 Orthognathic surgery between 16 to 18 years of age

Phase 7 Scar and lip / nose revision