Cleft Palate Treatments

Treatment

Treatments may include:

Surgery

The main treatment is surgery to close the opening in a lip and/or palate. Additional surgical treatment for oral-facial clefts may include:

Bite alignment surgery if the jaw is not aligned properly
Plastic and/or nasal surgery to improve facial appearance and function

Other Treatments

Other treatments may include:

For cleft palate:
- Prior to surgery, temporary placement of a dental plate in the roof of the mouth to make eating and drinking easier
For middle ear infections and fluid build-up:
- Medications to treat infection or prevent fluid build-up
- Surgery to drain built-up fluid and prevent future infections
Most children with cleft palate are at risk for hearing loss which may interfere with learning language.
- Hearing testing should be done regularly.
- Rarely, children with cleft palate may benefit from hearing aids.

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