What is cleft lip or cleft palate?
Cleft lip or cleft palate are most commonly seen in new borns as most parents choose to have the cleft lip or palate fixed through surgeries. It is one of the most common birth defects.
The causes of a cleft lip or palate include:
genetics
Smoking or cosumption of alcohol during pregnancy
Deficiency in folic acid during pregnancy
Certain medications
Ear infections or hearing loss are connected with cleft palates
May cause issues in growing teeth during pregnancy
So what is a cleft palate/lip? This occurs during pregnancy while the fetus is forming and the barrier between the nasal and oral cavity, known as the hard palate, does not fully form. This also means that the lip may not be formed fully either. The cleft palate and cleft lip can occur together or independently.
Cleft lip is easily identifiable during ultrasounds but since the palate is not as visible it is harder to identify a cleft palate before birth.
These can be fixed through surgery to fuse the palate or lip to fully form. If not fixed through surgery, the child may experience difficulty while speaking, eating and drinking. There are studies and experiments being conducted to fix a cleft lip/palate before birth, however, a clear result hasn’t been found.
A cleft lip can usually be fixed through one surgery, however, a cleft palate may require more than one surgery. Cleft lip and palate are not fatal, however, with added conditions they may be harmful.
If you have any questions or want more information, we invite you to call our team at The Smile Team in Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, today at 416-546-5599. We look forward to helping you in any way we can, and we thank you for the opportunity!