What's New in Cleft Palate and Velopharyngeal Dysfunction Management

Congenital anomalies can be defined as birth defects, congenital disorders or congenital malformations, structural or functional anomalies, including metabolic disorders, which are present at the time of birth. There are 15 types of orofacial clefts, with cleft lip and palate being the second most common. Facial clefts are often severe and may be accompanied by other significant craniofacial anomalies or other medical conditions. No exact mechanism has been discovered for the cause of non-syndromiccleft, and the cause is believed to be multifactorial. Clefts tend to cluster in families but are not exactly Mendelian in inheritance. It is known that normal palate development is a complex process with several proteins, growth factors, and transcription factors involved.