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Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate
Island Plastic Surgery offers Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate Surgery to patients from Mineola, West Islip, Long Island and nearby areas.
Dr. Pamela Gallagher is an internationally known cleft lip and palatespecialist. She is the medical director of the Hagedorn cleft and craniofacial center and has over 30 years experience in the field. She is known for her compassionate and knowledgeable care of children and adults from all over the world.
Cleft lip and cleft palate are two of the most common birth defects, affecting one out of every 700 to 750 individuals. In the early weeks of development, long before a child is born, the right and left sides of the lip and the roof of the mouth normally grow together. However, occasionally those sections do not quite meet. A child born with a separation in the upper lip is said to have a cleft lip. A similar birth defect in the roof of the mouth, or palate, is called a cleft palate. Because the lip and the palate develop separately, it is possible for a child to have a cleft lip, a cleft palate or variations of both.
Children born with cleft lip and cleft palate are subject to many problems that are often extensive and complex, such as abnormal facial appearance, unclear speech, poor hearing, inadequate dental health and learning problems. At Island Plastic Surgery in New York, we are pleased to offer surgery to correct these common birth defects and effectively ease our patients' discomfort. Our locations in Mineola and West Islip provide convenient care for residents throughout the Long Island area, including individuals from New Rochelle, Yonkers and Hempstead, NY, and Greenwich, CT.
How is Cleft Lip Surgery Performed?
A cleft lip can range in severity from a slight notch in the red part of the upper lip to a complete separation of the lip extending into the nose. Clefts can occur on one or both sides of the upper lip. At our sites in Mineola and West Islip, cleft lip surgery is generally done when the child is about 10 weeks old.
To repair a cleft lip, an incision is made on either side of the cleft from the mouth into the nostril. The dark pink outer portion of the cleft is turned downward, the muscle is pulled and the skin of the lip is sutured together to close the separation. Muscle function and the normal "cupid's bow" shape of the mouth are restored. The nostril deformity often associated with cleft lip may also be improved at the time of lip repair or in a later surgery.
How is Cleft Palate Surgery Performed?
In some children, a cleft palate may involve only a tiny portion at the back of the roof of the mouth; for others, it can mean a complete separation that extends from front to back. Just as in cleft lip, cleft palate may appear on one or both sides of the upper mouth. However, repairing a cleft palate involves more extensive surgery for our patients in Mineola and West Islip. Therefore, the procedure is usually done at nine to 18 months old, when the child is bigger and better able to tolerate the operation.
To repair a cleft palate, an incision is made on both sides of the separation, moving tissue from each side of the cleft to the center or midline of the roof of the mouth. This rebuilds the palate, joining muscle together and providing enough length in the palate so the child can eat and learn to speak properly.
If you are considering cleft lip or cleft palate surgery in New York, but would like more information, then please contact the compassionate and highly skilled professionals at Island Plastic Surgery in Mineola and West Islip. We are dedicated to serving cleft lip and cleft palate patients throughout the Long Island region, including residents of New Rochelle, Yonkers and Hempstead, NY, and Greenwich, CT. |
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| At Island Plastic Surgery, Dr. Pamela Gallagher offers plastic and reconstructive surgery to patients across Long Island including: Mineola, West Islip, Long Island, New Rochelle, NY. Contact Island Plastic Surgery today to schedule your Consultation!
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