Services

Cleft Lip and Palate Deformities

Congenital deformities like cleft lip and palate occur when all or a portion of the oral-nasal cavity does not grow together during fetal development. As members of a team of healthcare specialists, oral and maxillofacial surgeons play an important role in the carefully orchestrated, multiple-stage correctional program designed to help restore the jaw and facial structures leading to normal function and appearance. Care and treatment consider function, appearance, nutrition, speech, hearing, and emotional and psychological development.

Reprinted with permission from American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.