Cleft Lip & Palate

Cleft lip and cleft palate together comprise the most common birth defect in the United States. Approximately, one out of every 600 newborns is affected by cleft lip and/or cleft palate.

Cleft Lip

A cleft lip happens when the tissue of the lip does not join completely leaving an opening in the upper lip. A cleft lip can range from a small slit in the lip to an open space extending into the nose.

Cleft Palate

Cleft palate is an opening in the roof of the mouth in which the two sides of the palate did not come together as the unborn baby was developing.

Cleft lip and cleft palate can occur on one side (unilateral), or on both sides (bilateral). Because the lip and the palate develop separately, a child may have a cleft lip, a cleft palate, or both cleft lip and cleft palate.

The cause of most clefts is due to a combination of genetics and environmental factors. The risk of having another child with a cleft are dependent upon many factors, including the number of affected persons in the family, the closeness of affected relatives, cleft severity and the race and sex of affected persons.

A child born with a cleft typically requires several different types of services, e.g., surgery, dental/orthodontic care, and speech therapy. Your child will be seen by a multidisciplinary cleft team who will work together on your child’s total rehabilitation.

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Dr. Robert Glade is recognized as an expert in the field of cleft lip or palate repair. Dr. Glade and the team at Pediatric ENT of Oklahoma will work to provide the best outcome possible for your child.