Congenital clefts of the face are among the most common human malformations. Malformations from the group of clefts of the lip, jaw and palate occur in about 1 in 500 newborns. It is assumed that a combination of hereditary and environmental factors is the most likely cause of this condition.

Affected patients are cared for at specialized centers in close cooperation with an interdisciplinary team consisting of experienced oral and maxillofacial surgeons, orthodontists, pediatric audiologists, gynecologists (prenatal diagnosticians), functional therapists (speech therapists, myofunctional therapists), and lactation and nutritional consultants.

Surgical therapy is performed according to different concepts at the age of about 3 months.