Cleft Lip and Palate

During early pregnancy, separate areas of the face develop individually and then join together, including the left and right sides of the roof of the mouth and lips. If some parts do not join properly, the result is a cleft. If a separation occurs in the upper lip, the child is said to have a cleft lip. If the separation occurs on the palate (roof of mouth), the child is said to have a cleft palate. A completely formed lip and palate is not only important for a normal facial appearance, but also for eating and development of normal speech.

Treatment of Cleft Lip and Palate

The main goal of cleft lip and palate treatment is to close the gaps between the lip and the palate. The achievement of these goals is performed by enlisting the expertise of various specialties, which participate in a cleft lip and palate team. The cleft lip and palate team is usually made up of the following specialties:

• ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGEON
• PLASTIC SURGEON
• OTOLARYNGOLOGIST ( ENT )
• SPEECH THERAPIST
• PEDIATRICIAN
• PEDIATRIC DENTIST
• ORTHODONTIST
• GENETIC COUNSELOR
• SOCIAL WORKER

Each of these specialties provides their expertise to assist in the child's development and facial growth. After the initial repair of the lip and palate, children may require future bone grafting procedures to assist with normal eruption of teeth. In addition, corrective jaw surgery may be required to achieve a "correct" bite.