To identify clinical decisions on surgical as well as non-surgical modalities for the treatment of CLP patients based on randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
PubMed, Ebscohost, and Cochrane Library were searched and 20 articles based on RCTs conducted on cleft patient management were identified.
The topics explored were infant orthopedics, lip and palate repair, alveolar bone grafting, and management of cleft maxillary hypoplasia. Nasoalveolar molding (NAM) was found to have great benefits when carried out within one month of birth. Fisher and Mohler\'s lip repair technique and use of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rh-BMP2) for alveolar bone grafting showed promising results. rh-BMP2 for alveolar bone grafting appears to be a promising alternative to autografts.
Early commencement of NAM in neonatal life is of great benefit to cleft patients. There is a need for more multicentre collaborations, mainly to identify the ideal surgical technique to reduce the variability in treatment and to ensure that the patient receives appropriate evidence-based treatment.

BACKGROUND: A systematic review assessing autologous versus alloplastic bone for secondary alveolar bone grafting in patients with cleft lip and palate was published in 2011 and included only one randomized controlled trial comparing traditional iliac bone graft to recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rh-BMP2).
OBJECTIVE: To perform a systematic review with meta-analysis on the use of secondary alveolar bone grafting (autologous bone and rh-BMP2 graft) in order to improve bone volume and height in patients with cleft lip and palate.
METHODS: An electronic search was conducted via PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CONTROL) via Cochrane Library, EMBASE via Ovid, and LILAC for studies published between January 2008 and September 2018. The systematic review registration number at PROSPERO was 42018085858.
METHODS: Only RCTs were included. Inclusion criteria were patients with the diagnosis of unilateral cleft lip and palate older than 5 years of age, radiographic evaluation (CT and/or CBCT) of the cleft area, and at least a 6-month follow-up.
METHODS: Bone formation and bone height by radiographic CT evaluation (preoperatively, after 6 months and after 1 year of follow-up) and length of hospital stay were assessed.
RESULTS: Four studies met strict inclusion criteria. Autologous bone graft showed statistically significant higher bone formation after 6-month follow-up (MD - 14.410; 95% CI - 22.392 to - 6.428; p = 0.000). No statistically significant difference was noted after a 1-year follow-up (MD 6.227; 95% CI - 15.967 to 28.422; p = 0.582). No statistically significant difference in bone height was noted after 6-month (MD - 18.737; 95% CI - 43.560 to 6.087; p = 0.139) and 1-year follow-up (MD - 4.401; 95% CI - 30.636 to 21.834; p = 0.742). Patients who underwent rh-BMP2 graft had a statistically significant reduced hospital stay (MD - 1.146; 95% CI - 2.147 to - 0.145; p = 0.025).
CONCLUSIONS: The main limitation is the high risk of bias among included studies.
CONCLUSIONS: Autologous bone and rh-BMP2 graft showed a similar effectiveness in maxillary alveolar reconstruction in patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate assessing bone graft volume and height although rh-BMP2 graft showed a relative shorter length of hospital stay (high uncertainty level).

Rehabilitation of cleft lip and palate (CLP) patients is a challenge for all the concerned members of the cleft team, and various treatment modalities have been attempted to obtain aesthetic results. Presurgical infant orthopaedics (PSIO) was introduced to reshape alveolar and nasal segments prior to surgical repair of cleft lip. However, literature reports lot of controversy regarding the use of PSIO in patients with CLP. Evaluation of long-term results of PSIO can provide scientific evidence on the efficacy and usefulness of PSIO in CLP patients. The aim was to assess the scientific evidence on the efficiency of PSIO appliances in patients with CLP and to critically analyse the current status of PSIO. A PubMed search was performed using the terms PSIO, presurgical nasoalveolar moulding and its long-term results and related articles were selected for the review. The documented studies report no beneficial effect of PSIO on maxillary arch dimensions, facial aesthetics and in the subsequent development of dentition and occlusion in CLP patients. Nasal moulding seems to be more beneficial and effective in unilateral cleft lip and palate patients with better long-term results.