Cleft Lip & Palate
What Is a Cleft Lip And a Cleft Palate?
Cleft lip and palate are birth conditions that affect the development of a child’s mouth. These conditions often require a team of health professionals for successful treatment. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are often an important part of a child’s treatment team for cleft lip or cleft palate.
Cleft lip and palate develop early in the pregnancy when the two sides of the child’s face are forming. Sometimes, the two sides do not join fully around the mouth, creating a rift in the upper lip, the roof of the mouth (palate), or both. Cleft lip and palate can make it hard for a child to eat, speak, and breathe properly, especially if the condition is left untreated for too long.
Treatment for Cleft Lip
The goals of cleft lip surgery are to close the cleft in the lips, restore function to the mouth, and create a normal facial appearance. Usually, the initial surgery takes place when the child is around 2 or 3 months old. An additional surgery may be necessary around age 8 or 10 to improve the appearance of the lip or nose before the face becomes more developed and grown-up looking. Generally, surgical treatment will be just a part of the treatment process, which also includes ear and nose specialists, speech pathologists, and other professionals.
Treatment for Cleft Palate
Cleft palate treatment is a bit more involved, and it tends to require more procedures than cleft lip treatment. The first cleft palate surgery is usually performed when a child is between 7 and 18 months old. The goal of the surgery is to create a functional palate and close the opening in the roof of the mouth, blocking any potential for food and liquid passage between the nasal cavity and the mouth. Later, when the child is around 8 years old, an additional procedure may be necessary to prepare the mouth for the permanent teeth. Children with cleft palate often require orthodontic work (braces) to help their teeth grow into the proper position.
Types of Anesthesia
Depending on your procedure, you will receive one of the following forms of anesthesia to ensure your comfort.
Cleft Lip and Palate Treatment in Lubbock, TX
Every parent wants the best care for their child, and Dr. Robert B. Ioppolo at Hill & Ioppolo Oral & Dental Implant Surgery of Lubbock has years of experience treating patients of all ages. Our staff will guide and support you and your child throughout the entire treatment process. For more information, feel free to give our office in Lubbock, TX, a call. One of our staff members will be happy to assist you.
Patient Testimonials
Hear from our patients about their experiences with Cleft Lip & Palate and other procedures.
"I came to see Dr. Ioppolo to have my wisdom teeth removed. The office is very friendly. There's a nice atmosphere going on, and everyone is very helpful. Dr. Ioppolo is wonderful. He has a great manner, he's very kind, and he puts you at ease."
"Everybody at this office is very sweet and very accommodating. They walk you through the whole process before it happens, so you don’t feel like you’re being hit out of left field with something. Dr. Ioppolo is very endearing. He just makes you feel comfortable with what to expect."
"This office is very welcoming. The staff is really friendly. It’s like coming home. When you hire Dr. Ioppolo as your doctor, you’re not only hiring a great doctor, you’re actually going with a friend—a trusted person. I was impressed."
"The first time I met Dr. Ioppolo, I was very impressed and fell in love with him right away. I wanted to be his grandmother forever. Yet, it was a little nerve-racking, and one of the nurses sat there and patted my hands through the whole ordeal, and I think I was as comfortable as I could have been anywhere. The staff is wonderful."
"The staff was great — very friendly, very helpful. Dr. Ioppolo was great, put my mind at ease. The procedure was actually really smooth. We had an appointment within a week of actually coming in the first time, which was fantastic."
"I came to see Dr. Ioppolo because I needed my wisdom teeth removed. Dr. Ioppolo is a great guy. He’s very meticulous in what he does, and so that’s the person you want doing your surgery when you have a surgery done like this. So, you could tell that from the moment we had our initial meeting that he was going to take care of things and make sure things were done right."
"When I came in for my procedure, it probably took longer to just get set up, having the gas and all that. As far as the procedure goes, he came in, and within five seconds, he was gone. It was super fast. I highly recommend Dr. Ioppolo and his staff because they are very wonderful and great people, and they make the process completely painless, and it was a very easy thing."
"I had a wisdom teeth extraction, and Dr. Ioppolo was my doctor, and then we put in an implant. When I first met Dr. Ioppolo, he was very soothing. He was a great guy, first off. He explained front to back what was going to happen."
"This is just a good place to come. Very comfortable setting. All the employees act like they’re your brother or your sister. Very friendly, very accommodating. Dr. Ioppolo is very congenial, very thorough with his work, very professional with his work. He’s very compassionate, and he makes you feel at ease about what’s fixing to happen."
Outstanding Oral Surgery Services Driven By Faith and Expertise
At Hill & Ioppolo Oral & Dental Implant Surgery of Lubbock, we are dedicated to restoring optimal oral health through a variety of oral surgery procedures. Through our work, we serve our God-given purpose of serving our incredible community. When you walk into our practice, you are not just a patient—you’re a welcome member of our family who will leave here with a better and more beautiful smile. We look forward to welcoming you soon.