Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery
A cleft palate is an opening in the roof of the mouth that is caused by the underdevelopment of the roof of the mouth. It is present and observable at birth. Early in fetal development, both sides of the face and the roof of the mouth fuse together. Sometimes the two sides do not fuse correctly, leaving an opening, or cleft, in the palate. The face and palate develop apart from one another, which is why a child may only have a cleft lip or a cleft palate, and they may also have both.
Children born with a cleft palate will experience problems with speech development, feeding, ear infections and proper growth and development. Physicians recommend correcting the condition between 6-18 months of age in order for proper development to continue.
Cleft lip and palate surgery seeks to close the openings left from problems in development before birth. Dr. Cerrati and his team will use the latest techniques and state-of-the-art technology to perform this surgery. The soft palate will be loosened and stretched to fit together, then it is resewn specifically to allow for stretching and movement.
To repair a cleft lip, Dr. Cerrati will make incisions on either side of the cleft to create flaps of skin, muscle and intraoral tissue that are then stitched together. Close attention is paid to recreate a normal lip and nose anatomy that is balanced and symmetrical.
Skilled and Experienced Utah Reconstructive Surgeon
Parents of children needing cleft palate and lip surgery will not find a better facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon in our area than Dr. Cerrati. He is a double board certified and fellowship trained surgeon who also serves as an assistant professor and director of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at the University of Utah.
In addition, Dr. Cerrati has traveled to Haiti, Guatemala and the Philippines, performing cleft palate and lip surgeries for children who otherwise would not receive proper care. His volunteer work is supported by Medical Missions for Children. Additionally, Dr. Cerrati now sits on the FACE-TO-FACE committee through the American Academy of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery.
Contact our Park City office to schedule a consultation for cleft palate and lip surgery today.