When {a child|a kid|a youngster} is {born|birthed} with {a cleft|a slit} lip or {cleft|slit} {palate|taste buds|taste}, {repairing|fixing} the {problem|issue|trouble} {means|implies|indicates|suggests} {more than|greater than} {a cosmetic|an aesthetic} {improvement|enhancement|renovation}.

The {condition|problem} {causes|triggers|creates} {problems|issues|troubles} with {swallowing|ingesting}, {eating|consuming} {and|as well as|and also} {breathing in|inhaling|taking in} the {short term|short-term}, {but|however|yet} can {lead to|result in|cause|bring about} {additional|extra|added} {problems|issues|troubles} in {a child|a kid|a youngster}'s skeletal {and|as well as|and also} {dental|oral} {development|advancement|growth} that {may|might} {require|need|call for} orthodontic {treatment|therapy} to {correct|fix|remedy|deal with}.

What is {a Cleft|a Slit} Lip/Palate?
If you touch the {roof|roofing system|roofing|roof covering} of your mouth with your tongue, you {will|will certainly} {feel|really feel} {a seam|a joint} that goes from behind your front teeth to the {rear|back} of your mouth. That {seam|joint} was {created|produced|developed} when the {palate|taste buds|taste} {grew|expanded} {together|with each other}. {A cleft|A slit} {palate|taste buds|taste} {occurs|happens|takes place} when the {palate|taste buds|taste} {fails|stops working|falls short} to {grow|expand} {together|with each other} {properly|correctly|appropriately|effectively} {during|throughout} {development|advancement|growth} {and|as well as|and also} {a gap|a space|a void} or split is {created|produced|developed}.

{Similarly|Likewise|In a similar way}, {a cleft|a slit} lip {means|implies|indicates|suggests} that there is a split in the {upper|top} lip. {Children|Kids|Youngsters} can be {born|birthed} with a split on one or both sides of the lip, which can {create|produce|develop} {a wider|a larger|a broader|a bigger} opening {into|right into} the nose. {A baby|An infant|A child}'s lips {and|as well as|and also} {palate|taste buds|taste} {don't|do not} {develop|establish|create} at the {same|exact same|very same} time, so it is {possible|feasible} for {a child|a kid|a youngster} to be {born|birthed} with either {abnormality|irregularity|problem} or both of them.

{Cleft|Slit} lips {and|as well as|and also} {cleft|slit} {palates|tastes buds|tastes} {are common|prevail} {and|as well as|and also} {occur|happen|take place} in {almost|practically|nearly|virtually} {two|2} out of every 1,000 {babies|infants|children} {born|birthed} {annually|yearly|every year|each year} in the {United States|USA}. This can be {hereditary|genetic} or {part|component} of {a syndrome|a disorder}, {but|however|yet} the {cause|reason} {frequently|often|regularly} is {unknown|unidentified} {and|as well as|and also} {therefore|for that reason|as a result|consequently} {unpreventable|inevitable}.

{Children|Kids|Youngsters} {born|birthed} with {cleft|slit} lip and/or {cleft|slit} {palate|taste buds|taste} {often|frequently|typically|commonly|usually} have {dental|oral} {problems|issues|troubles} with the {upper|top} {gum|periodontal|gum tissue} or {palate|taste buds|taste}. {Problems|Issues|Troubles} can {include|consist of} {crooked|uneven|misaligned|jagged}, {missing|missing out on}, {extra|additional|added} or {small|little|tiny} teeth. These {problems|issues|troubles} {may|might} {require|need|call for} orthodontic {treatment|therapy} to {correct|fix|remedy|deal with} {and|as well as|and also} {sometimes|in some cases|often|occasionally} can {require|need|call for} {surgery|surgical treatment|surgical procedure} to {obtain|acquire|get} {optimum|optimal|maximum} {results|outcomes}.

Orthodontic {Treatment|Therapy} for {Cleft|Slit} Lip/Palate
Some {cleft|slit} lip/cleft {palate|taste buds|taste} {treatments|therapies} {begin|start} {immediately|instantly|right away|promptly|quickly} after birth. There are some pre-surgical orthodontic {treatments|therapies} that can be done {during|throughout} {infancy|early stage}. If bone grafting is {necessary|required|needed|essential}, that {typically|generally|usually|normally|commonly} is done {between|in between} ages 8 {and|as well as|and also} 10. {Treatment|Therapy} to {correct|fix|remedy|deal with} the {child|kid|youngster}'s {permanent|long-term|irreversible} teeth can be {addressed|dealt with|attended to|resolved} after {surgery|surgical treatment|surgical procedure} {through|with|via} {Phase|Stage} II orthodontics, {including|consisting of} {full|complete} {braces|dental braces} {typically|generally|usually|normally|commonly} done {between|in between} ages 12 {and|as well as|and also} 15.

In {cases|situations|instances} where orthognathic {surgery|surgical treatment|surgical procedure} is {required|needed|called for}, orthodontic {treatment|therapy} {usually|typically|normally|generally} {begins|starts} {about|regarding|concerning} {nine|9} months {prior to|before} the {surgery|surgical treatment|surgical procedure}. {Following|Complying with|Adhering to} the {surgery|surgical treatment|surgical procedure}, the {braces|dental braces} are {maintained|preserved|kept} for {six|6} to {eight|8} months to {direct|guide|route} the {healing|recovery}.