Cleft lip and cleft palate treatment in prayagraj - www.entclinicallahabad.com

Cleft lip and cleft palate are facial and oral malformations that occur very early in pregnancy, while the baby is developing inside the mother. Clefting results when there is not enough tissue in the mouth or lip area, and the tissue that is available does not join together properly.

A cleft lip is a physical split or separation of the two sides of the upper lip and appears as a narrow opening or gap in the skin of the upper lip. This separation often extends beyond the base of the nose and includes the bones of the upper jaw and/or upper gum.

Causes

During the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, the skull of the fetus is developing.

Two separate plates of bone and tissue form and gradually move towards each other. At this point, they join, or fuse, at the mouth and nose to form the skull.

Incomplete fusion will result in a cleft.

Symptoms

Usually, a split (cleft) in the lip or palate is immediately identifiable at birth. Cleft lip and cleft palate may appear as:

• A split in the lip and roof of the mouth (palate) that affects one or both sides of the face
• A split in the lip that appears as only a small notch in the lip or extends from the lip through the upper gum and palate into the bottom of the nose
• A split in the roof of the mouth that doesn't affect the appearance of the face

Less commonly, a cleft occurs only in the muscles of the soft palate (submucous cleft palate), which are at the back of the mouth and covered by the mouth's lining. This type of cleft often goes unnoticed at birth and may not be diagnosed until later when signs develop. Signs and symptoms of submucous cleft palate may include:

• Difficulty with feedings
• Difficulty swallowing, with potential for liquids or foods to come out the nose
• Nasal speaking voice
• Chronic ear infections