Cleft Lip & Palate

Cleft lip and/or palate occurs 1 in 600 live births in the United States, making it the most common birth issue.  A child born with cleft lip and/or palate may develop challenges in a variety of areas including: feeding, hearing, speech, language and tooth development, facial growth, learning and psychosocial issues.  Therefore, it is critical that the child be assessed and cared for by a team of specialists.  At Valley Oral and Facial Surgery, we will dedicate our focus to helping you and your child receive all aspects of care that they deserve.  Dr. Lam and Dr. Surpure will coordinate your child’s care with a multitude of other specialists that are essential to treating cleft lip and palate.  Specialty team members include speech language pathologists, nutritionists, pediatric dentists, orthodontists, lactation consultants, geneticists, pediatric ENT surgeons, and social workers.

Cleft Lip Treatment

Cleft lip surgery is usually performed when the child is about ten weeks old. The goal of surgery is to close the separation of the upper lip and reconnect the muscles that form the lip.  This is done in the hospital and most patients can go home the next day.  We will see you and your child regularly in the office during the healing process. 

Cleft Palate Treatment

Cleft palate surgery is usually performed when the child is between 9 to 18 months old. This depends upon the individual child and his/her own situation.  The goals of cleft palate repair are to create a barrier between the mouth and the nose for proper function. For some patients, ear tubes will be placed by a pediatric ENT surgeon at the time of palate repair.  We will help coordinate this for you if your child needs this procedure.  Like cleft lip repair, this is done in the hospital and most patients can go home the next day.  We will see you and your child regularly in the office during the healing process.

The alveolus, which is the bone that holds the teeth, is generally repaired when the child is school age (usually between 6-9).  The procedure often involves placement of bone from the hip into the alveolus to provide strength to the upper jaw and aid in tooth development and eruption. It may also be done in teenagers and adults as an individual procedure, or combined with corrective jaw surgery.

At Valley Oral and Facial Surgery, Dr. Lam and Dr. Surpure, offer complimentary prenatal consultations for expectant parents, providing them opportunities to meet with the team, have questions answered, and to learn how to use specialized feeding techniques and bottles.  That way, parents can feel fully prepared and be excited for their baby’s arrival.