Cleft Lip and Palate
Cleft lip and palate is one of the most common congenital malformations. This malformation is not only cosmetically disturbing, but can also affect speech, swallowing and hearing. Interdisciplinary medical treatment can make a child’s life with a cleft lip and palate easier and give it a new quality. Through an operation as early as possible (ideally before the onset of school age), we can ensure that normal development in the area of speech is achieved and that no cleft palate late effects are to be feared.
Goals of Cleft Lip and Palate Treatment
The team at the SailerClinic has set itself the goal of correcting congenital deformities in patients by means of surgical procedures, thus significantly improving their quality of life. In addition to functional improvements, facial aesthetics are also a priority, having a lasting effect on the self-confidence of those affected.
Duration of the treatment
60–90 Minutes
Fit for everyday life
60–90 Minutes
Follow-up treatment
Suture removal and special dressings
Clinic stay
Inpatient
The most frequently asked questions
What is a cleft lip and palate?
A cleft lip and palate is a congenital malformation in which structures in the mouth area do not fuse completely. This can cause gaps in the lip, jaw, and palate, which can vary in form and severity.
What are the causes of a cleft lip and palate?
The exact causes are not fully understood, but genetic predispositions, the use of certain medications, inadequate nutrition, and the consumption of substances during pregnancy play a role.
When should the treatment of a cleft lip and palate begin?
Treatment ideally begins shortly after birth to guide jaw growth and facilitate nasal breathing. Surgical correction typically occurs in the first few months of life and is adjusted throughout growth.
What does the treatment process look like?
The treatment includes several phases:
- Early surgical interventions to close the gaps
- Adjustment to the child’s growth up to adulthood
- Accompanying therapies such as speech therapy to address speaking and hearing issues
What are the goals of the treatment at SailerClinic?
The goal of the treatment is to address functional limitations, enable normal speech development, and improve facial aesthetics. This significantly enhances the quality of life and self-confidence of those affected.
How common are cleft lip and palate conditions?
In Central Europe, a cleft lip and palate is diagnosed in approximately one in every 500 children. This malformation occurs in the early stages of pregnancy when the facial parts of the embryo do not fuse completely.
Best Outcomes for Growth and Speech
At the SailerClinic, treatment of primary cleft lip and palate is carried out according to the Zurich Protocol. This protocol has been tried and tested over decades and has been shown to offer the best results in terms of growth and speech.
Global Patients with Diverse Growth Challenges
In secondary cleft lip and palate surgery, i.e. surgery for adult patients, we treat people from all over the world with different growth disorders of the upper jaw, which usually require highly individualised treatment concepts. Thanks to our many years of experience, we have the necessary treatment expertise in the aesthetic and speech-related fields.
Before-and-after pictures
What Is a Cleft Palate?
A cleft lip and palate is a congenital malformation in which the structures in the oral area develop differently than usual. A cleft palate is characterised by varying degrees of clefting in the palate area, which may be bilateral or incomplete, for example.
The colloquial term ‘harelip’ (the hare-like Y-shaped upper lip is the source of the term) is not only medically inaccurate, but also disrespectful to the people affected. That is why medicine deliberately uses the more precise term ‘cleft lip palate’.
What Causes a Cleft Palate?
The exact cause of a cleft palate has not yet been fully explained. We assume that several factors contribute to it – for example, a genetic predisposition from the mother. Taking certain medications is also a possible cause of a cleft palate. Furthermore, a poor diet and the use of addictive drugs during pregnancy are considered to be causes of cleft palate.
How Does a Cleft Palate Develop?
In Central Europe, a cleft palate occurs in around one in 500 children every year. Although the cause of the cleft palate is not yet known, we do know one thing: a cleft lip and palate develops at the beginning of a pregnancy. This happens because the facial parts of the embryo develop separately and only grow together during the course of the pregnancy. If this developmental disorder occurs, clefts form in the area of the palate that do not fully heal. In many cases, a cleft palate can be detected during a preliminary ultrasound examination. However, it is also possible that this malformation only occurs after the first few years of life.
How Is a Cleft Palate Treated?
The appearance of a cleft palate can occur in different degrees of severity and forms, but this does not preclude standardised procedures for cleft palate surgery. If a cleft lip palate occurs, cleft palate treatment ideally begins immediately after birth in order to guide the growth of the jaw and make breathing through the nose easier.
Surgical treatment of the cleft lip palate only takes place after a few months. As the young patient grows, the treatment is adapted to their growth. In some cases, this may be necessary into adulthood. Speech therapy is usually recommended to accompany this.
Prognosis and Long-Term Treatment for Cleft Lip and Palate
Thanks to the wide range of treatment options now available and research into the causes of cleft lip and palate, people with this congenital malformation can live carefree lives.
Types of cleft lip and palate
There are different types of cleft lip and palate. The most common types are:
- Cleft lip or cleft lip: In this case, the upper lip is not closed between the nose and mouth, creating a cleft that extends from the vermillion border of the lip to the nose. However, there are also cases in which two clefts occur, with a segment of the lip in the middle.
- Cleft lip alveolus: Here, the cleft extends from the upper lip to the upper jaw and runs along the side of the second incisor.
- Cleft palate: The cleft can begin in the uvula and lead to the teeth. This can go so far that the palate is divided into two parts, although the mouth and nose remain connected.
Your expert team
Hermann F. Sailer Prof. Dr. med., Dr. med. dent., Dr. h. c. mult., Dr. sc. h. c. mult.
Specialist in oral, maxillofacial, and facial surgery, founder of the clinic, senior director
Tateyuki Iizuka Prof. Dr. med., Dr. med. dent.
Specialist in oral, maxillofacial, and facial surgery, Senior Consultant
Do you have questions? Contact us.
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"After the surgery, I finally see the person I’ve always been on the inside. My confidence has increased tremendously, and I no longer hide from the world. Thank you to the team."
Angela B., Aesthetic Surgery Patient
