Cleft Lip and Palate

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Your child’s cleft lip and palate can affect more than their appearance.

It can make it hard for them to eat, talk and even smile. They might also have hearing problems. All of this can be stressful — for you and them. And you may find yourself worrying about their future.

The good news? A cleft palate is treatable. And Cleveland Clinic Children’s expert providers are here to put your mind at ease. We offer compassionate care personalized to your child’s needs. And the latest advances in cleft palate surgery — some of which our team even helped develop. At Cleveland Clinic Children’s your child is in the most capable hands for cleft palate treatment.

Why Choose Cleveland Clinic Children’s for Cleft Palate Care?

Demonstrated expertise:

Cleveland Clinic Children’s is accredited by the American Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Association. We successfully treat the most complex forms of cleft palate.

Trusted experts:

Our cleft palate providers have decades of experience. They specialize in problems affecting the skull, facial bones and nearby soft tissue. And we excel in microvascular surgery to make precise repairs with minimal scarring. Meet our team.

Comprehensive treatment:

We start cleft palate testing and treatment almost immediately after birth. And we’ll continue addressing your child’s needs, like specialized dental services and jaw surgery, as they get older.

Virtual visits:

Want to get care without leaving home? We offer both in-person and virtual visits. This convenient option lets you talk with your child’s provider from your smartphone, tablet or computer using an internet connection. No need to get your little one ready to travel.

National recognition:

Cleveland Clinic Children's is a trusted healthcare leader. We're recognized throughout the U.S. for our expertise and care.

Diagnosing Cleft Palate at Cleveland Clinic Children’s

A cleft palate forms when tissues of your child’s upper lip and roof of their mouth (palate) don’t grow together before birth. This leaves an opening or gap on one or both sides of their mouth. It’s possible to have:

Cleft palate without a cleft lip.
Cleft lip without a cleft palate.
Cleft lip and palate (most common).

Some things to keep in mind about diagnosis

We can sometimes diagnose a cleft lip or cleft palate and lip before birth using ultrasound in pregnancy. It’s harder to diagnose an “isolated cleft palate” (no cleft lip present) because it may not show up in the ultrasound.

During your baby’s physical exam after birth, we also check their mouth, nose and palate to see if there’s a cleft. If there is, we’ll quickly start building a personalized treatment plan.

Meet Our Cleft Palate Team

The best cleft palate care combines the expertise of many different pediatric providers and specialties. Your child’s care team could include:

Providers Who Treat Cleft Lips and Palates

Locations

Our healthcare providers see patients at convenient locations throughout Northeast Ohio.

Treating a Cleft Palate at Cleveland Clinic Children’s

Before cleft palate surgery, we’ll use special tools to slowly ease their gum, lip and nose tissue toward the proper position. Then we’ll do one or two surgeries to repair your child’s cleft lip when they’re around 3 and 6 months old.

At 12 months, we’ll start the cleft palate repair by creating a working palate. This might also include placing ear tubes to help drain fluid. For some children, this surgery is the last one they need.

We may repair large clefts with a piece of nearby tissue (buccal myomucosal flap). Our surgeons helped pioneer this treatment, which isn’t widely available.

About 40% of kids need more repair around age 5 to help improve their speech. And sometimes, between the ages of 6 and 10, they might also need a bone graft. This helps fill in their upper gum line to support permanent teeth.

Your child might need surgery to improve how their nose and lip look. We may also need to close openings between their nose and mouth or to help them breathe better.

Other cleft palate treatments

Surgery usually corrects most issues related to your child’s cleft palate. But they may still need other treatments as they grow. We work with you to map out the next steps after surgery. This may include:

Taking the Next Step

When your child is born with a cleft palate, it’s natural to wonder and worry about what lies ahead. Cleveland Clinic Children’s healthcare providers are here to help them have a bright future. We’ll treat your child how we would want to be treated — with compassion and the best care — so they can enjoy a healthy, happy childhood.