Facial Cleft

Cranio-facial clefts are a wide spectrum of malformations affecting the face and cranium in a great variety of forms. The low frequency of most of them has made its study, statistics and classification complex and uncertain for many, many years.

Clefts in the cranio-facial region range from the most commonly known cleft lip and palate to extensive cranio-facial clefts that can be dramatically disfiguring. Facial clefts constitute the most challenging malformation as they are never the same.

The surgeon must be skilful in cranio-facial surgery, maxillofacial techniques, soft tissues procedures for soft tissue reconstruction, and no less important, have a solid background in management of cranio-facial anomalies.

Despite all this, restoring, functional and aesthetically, a clefted face is one of the most rewarding surgeries.

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What is cleft palate?

Cleft palate is a treatable birth defect in which the baby's roof of the mouth (palate) does not develop normally during pregnancy, leaving an opening (cleft) that may go through to the nasal cavity.

Cleft palate may involve any part of the palate, including the front part of the roof of the mouth (hard palate) or the small tag of tissue that hangs down from the soft palate (uvula). It may also occur by itself or along with other birth defects of the face and skull, particularly cleft lip.

Cleft palate and cleft lip are the most common congenital defects of the head and neck. Until treated surgically, cleft palate can interfere with feeding, speech development, and hearing.

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