Surgical correction is central to current team-approached cleft treatment. Cleft surgeons are always concerned about the impact of their surgical maneuver on the growth of the maxilla. Hypoplastic maxilla, concaved mid-face and deformed dental arch have constantly been reported after cleft treatments. It is very hard to completely circumvent these postoperative complications by current surgical protocols. In this paper, we discussed the factors that inhibit the maxillofacial growth on cleft patients. These factors included pre-surgical intervention, the timing of cleft palate and alveolae repair, surgical design and treatment protocol. Also, we made a review about the influence on the maxillary growth in un-operated cleft patients. On the basis of previous researches, we can conclude that most of scholars express identity of views in these aspects: early palatoplasty lead to maxilla growth inhibition in all dimensions; secondary alveolar bone graft had no influence on maxilla sagittal growth; cleft lip repair inhibited maxilla sagittal length in patients with cleft lip and palate; Veau's pushback palatoplasty and Langenbeck's palatoplasty with relaxing incisions were most detrimental to growth; Furlow palatoplasty showed little detrimental effect on maxilla growth; timing of hard palate closure, instead of the sequence of hard or soft palate repair, determined the postoperative growth. Still, scholars hold controversial viewpoints in some issues, for example, un-operated clefts have normal growth potential or not, pre-surgical intervention and pharyngoplasty inhibited maxillofacial growth or not.

Rare diseases are usually genetic, chronic and incurable disorders with a relatively low incidence. Developments in the diagnosis and management of rare diseases have been relatively slow due to a lack of sufficient profit motivation and market to attract research by companies. However, due to the attention of government and society as well as economic development, rare diseases have been gradually become an increasing concern. As several dental-craniofacial manifestations are associated with rare diseases, we summarize them in this study to help dentists and oral maxillofacial surgeons provide an early diagnosis and subsequent management for patients with these rare diseases.