My baby has a tooth growing in the palate, what should I do?
Usually, this is a common occurrence with cleft conditions and generally, they do not cause any serious problems. Report it at your child's next clinical assessment. You will be given advice on this and other dental problems on the routine visits.
My child's teeth are all crooked, should I see an orthodontist?
Normally you would have been given advice regarding the condition and development of the bite during visits to the cleft clinic. If you are still uncertain, then you should see your dentist first who will refer you to a specialist orthodontist for an opinion. You can also discuss this with the consultant orthodontist at the Cleft Palate Clinic.
Should I take my child to see a dentist or just wait until I have an appointment at the Cleft Palate Clinic?
There are great benefits in seeing your family dentist for regular dental care, regardless if there is a cleft condition or not. However, do not let any teeth be removed without consultation with the Cleft Palate Clinic orthodontist.
Please consult us before having any orthodontic treatment.
I have been told my child will need to have orthodontic work and then a bone graft. When will orthodontics start and when will the bone graft be done?
Generally, not all cleft conditions require bone grafting. Some may not even need orthodontic correction.
However, if there is an alveolar-bone defect, then bone grafting is carried out between the ages of eight and 11 years and orthodontic treatment will start six to nine months beforehand.
I understand that when the bone graft is done some bone will be taken out of the hip; can you tell me what this means?
The hip becomes the donor site for bone that is required to "fill-in" the defect in the cleft region. It is preferable to use the patient's own bone material (autogenous) as this reduces the risk of rejection after surgery.
The hip is used because there is a plentiful supply of bone formed.
Your child's leg will stay the same length and shape and only a small soft-tissue scar will be present after bone grafting.