Cleft Lip and Palate

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Lip and Palate

Mouth and nose of a baby develop the 5th and 12th weeks inside the womb

The palate is the roof of the mouth and is made of bone and muscle

It is covered by a thin, wet skin that forms covering of mouth

Important during speech, prevents air blowing out of nose when you talk

Prevents food and liquids going up nose and helps swallowing

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Developing of the lip and palate

Lip and palate forms from three central prominances  - central/frontal nasal prominances

cleft Maxiallary/right prominance, central prominance will grow and become forehead, nose and middle portion of upper lip.

The primary palate holds the middle four teeth. Maxillary prominanace will grow and become lower face, lower lip, jaw and middle/upper lip

Secondary Palate - prominance grow towards the centre of the face and fuse together during 6th to 13th weeks

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What is Cleft Palate

Sometimes process disturbed prevent the prominances from meeting the lips and mouth don't form property forming cleft lip

Next to Prominances are palative shelves which start out as ledges on side of mouth

Join in the middle to form back of palate 'zipper closing'

If process is interrupted at any stage a gap or split develops

results in CLEFT 

It also depends on what part is interrupted

A cleft palate leaves a hole between nose and mouth, and a sufferer may develop eating problems or speech issues

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What causes Cleft Palate?

Family History

Environmental Factors

Vitamin Defiencies

Smoking

Alcohol/Smoking

Improper prenatal care

Can be prevented by Good Prenatal care, Decrease in teen pregnancies and Genetic counselling

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Treatment

Treated with surgery, delayed for a while after birth

17-18 months depending on child

close gap between roof of mouth and nose, reconnnected muscles

Risks, infection, scanning separation of mouth

What is expected after surgery - normal palate, swallowing, fistulla and hole

Speech Therapy needed, teeth affected

may not grow properly

may not orthodontic treatment

may need surgery

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