Our Comprehensive & Phased Approach to Cleft Care

Treating cleft lip and palate is not a single event but a journey that requires a team of specialists working together. Our care is delivered in a phased approach, spanning from infancy to adolescence:

• **Multidisciplinary Team**: We collaborate with a team of pediatricians, orthodontists, speech therapists, ENT specialists, and psychologists to ensure all aspects of the child's development are supported.
• **Cleft Lip Repair (Cheiloplasty)**: This is typically the first surgery, performed around 3-6 months of age. The goal is to close the lip and shape the nose to create a more normal appearance and improve feeding.
• **Cleft Palate Repair (Palatoplasty)**: This surgery is usually performed around 9-18 months of age. The surgeon closes the opening in the roof of the mouth, which is vital for proper speech development and prevents food from entering the nasal cavity.
• **Alveolar Bone Grafting**: For children with a cleft in the gum ridge, a bone graft is often needed around the age of 7-9 to provide a stable arch for permanent teeth to erupt and to prepare for future orthodontics.
• **Follow-up Procedures**: Depending on the case, further procedures may be needed, such as revision surgeries or orthognathic surgery in adolescence to correct jaw alignment.

The Surgical Process

Our surgical techniques are designed to minimize scarring and achieve the best possible functional and aesthetic outcomes.

1. Pre-Surgical Planning: We may use a Naso-Alveolar Molding (NAM) appliance to gently reshape the gums, lip, and nose before surgery, simplifying the procedure and improving results.
2. Surgical Intervention: The surgeries are performed under general anesthesia. The lip is meticulously closed, and the muscle is aligned to create a more natural lip shape. For the palate, the tissues are carefully rearranged and sutured together to close the gap.
3. Post-Operative Care: We provide detailed care instructions for feeding, wound care, and pain management. The child is closely monitored to ensure proper healing and to address any immediate concerns.
4. Ongoing Rehabilitation: The journey continues with regular follow-up appointments. Speech therapy is a crucial part of the process after palate repair to help the child develop clear speech patterns.