Furlow palatoplasty showed little detrimental effect on maxilla growth; timing of hard palate closure, instead of the sequence of hard or soft palate repair, determined the postoperative growth.

A cleft palate is a split or opening in the roof of the mouth. A cleft palate can involve the hard palate (the bony front portion of the roof of the mouth) and/or the soft palate (the soft back ...

Emeka Nkenke of Erlangen University Hospital, Germany, and colleagues, report on the use of distraction osteogenesis to lengthen the maxilla (upper jaw) bone in patients with cleft lip and palate.