*Actual Patient Disclaimer: there is no guarantee of specific results and the results can vary.
In Dr. Morwood's Words:
All over the world, families bring their children to our mission clinics. Cleft palates occur on every continent on earth.
The Truth About Plastic Surgery: An Educational Guide for the Consumer
This Procedure Treats:
The appearance of a cleft lip and cleft palate may be:
Submucous cleft palate is also a possibility, which involves a cleft in the soft palate muscles. As these muscles are located at the back of the mouth, this condition may go totally unnoticed at birth. However, if left undiagnosed and untreated, it can result in symptoms such as dental issues, feeding difficulties, swallowing troubles, chronic ear infections, and others.
A cleft, or separation of the upper lip and/or roof of the mouth, occurs early in fetal development when these areas fail to form normally. Cleft lip and cleft palate repair is a type of plastic surgery performed to restore both function and a more normal appearance.
Most clefts can be repaired using specialized plastic surgery techniques, improving a child’s ability to eat, speak, hear, and breathe, while restoring normal appearance and function.
Repair typically involves three steps. First, general anesthesia or intravenous sedation is administered. Next, incisions are made on one or both sides of the cleft to create flaps of muscle, intraoral tissue, and skin, which are then repositioned and stitched to restore normal lip and nose anatomy. Finally, the incisions are closed with absorbable and/or removable sutures.
After the cleft lip and cleft palate surgery has concluded, parents need to maintain certain restrictions, such as:
Dr. Morwood has been in private practice over 35 years, he has performed over 14,000 operations, and has successfully completed literally hundreds of cleft lip and palate repairs in California and in 20 countries abroad. With a wealth of experience, he brings both a scientific and artistic approach to a child’s appearance, oral function, and speech. He is passionate about caring for the hundreds of families in need of this specialized care.
In his book, “The Truth About Plastic Surgery: An Educational Guide for the Consumer,” Dr. Morwood has written a special chapter devoted to educating the parents about state of the art care and principles of management for children affected by clefts.
Dr. Morwood is a board-certified plastic surgeon who will provide a custom-designed approach to help you achieve your aesthetic vision.
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