Timing Improves Cleft Palate Surgery.

Surgical timing has been a controversial topic with various cleft centers around the world opting for early closure at about 3-6 months of age.

However Research by Dr. Damir Matic, a scientist with Lawson Health Research Institute in London, Ontario is changing the way cleft palate surgeries are performed throughout North America and around the world. Dr. Matic has shown that the best time to close the cleft at the alveolus (gum) in patients with either one or two sided clefts is at eight or nine years of age prior to canine tooth eruption.

The study represents a significant breakthrough in cleft research involving an unprecedented sample size of 136 children.The findings were presented at the ACPA meeting in Philadelphia last month where These findings were presented at the ACPA meeting in Philadelphia last month where the overall majority of the participants voted with Matic, leading to a change in recommendation in the way cleft palates will be treated in hospitals around the world.

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