title: Evaluation of patient satisfaction after therapy of unilateral clefts of lip, alveolus and palate.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cleft lip, alveolus and palate (CLAP) is a craniofacial abnormality and is one of the most frequent human developmental anomalies. Therapy of clefts does not only comprise surgical closure of the cleft, but rather aims at an aesthetically and functionally optimal result at adult age.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-three cleft patients with total clefts of lip, alveolus and palate were enrolled in this study. Osseous bridging of the alveolar cleft (osteoplasty) was performed in all patients followed by different types of subsequent treatment. All patients answered a questionnaire to assess their satisfaction with the treatment result and their facial appearance. Patient satisfaction was correlated to the type of alveolar cleft repair.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The returned questionnaires revealed varying patient satisfaction with their appearance, occlusal conditions, and dental aesthetics depending on the type of dental treatment in the alveolar cleft area. Questionnaire analysis by gender revealed clear gender-dependent differences in self-rated satisfaction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aesthetics gain increasing importance for self-perception. Therefore, patient satisfaction with her facial appearance should move even more into focus of therapy of clefts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, Preventive and Pediatric Dentistry, Ernst Moritz Arndt University of Greifswald, Germany. kieferorthopaedie@uni-greifswald.de
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Landsberger
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Proff
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dietze
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: Wolfram
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kaduk
authors.forename: Fritz-Ulrich
authors.initials: FU
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mack
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019516:Orthodontic Space Closure / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires