Cleft Lip & Palate Repair

A cleft lip and/or palate is one of the most common congenital facial differences -- affecting approximately 1 in 700 births worldwide. It occurs when the tissues forming the lip or the roof of the mouth fail to fuse completely during foetal development.

Cleft conditions are highly treatable. With timely, expertly performed surgery, children with cleft lip and palate go on to live entirely normal lives -- with a natural-looking face, clear speech, and unimpaired eating and breathing. Dr. Bhavya Sree has specialist training and experience in cleft surgery, and approaches every family with the sensitivity, clarity, and warmth this diagnosis demands.

If your child has been diagnosed with a cleft condition, contact Dr. Bhavya Sree's clinic promptly -- early planning and the right multidisciplinary team make all the difference to your child's outcome.

Why Choose Dr. Bhavya Sree for Cleft Lip & Palate Surgery?

M.Ch Plastic Surgery -- NIMS Hyderabad (India's premier surgical training institution) FAM & FAS (Belgium) -- International fellowship-level training in aesthetic and reconstructive surgery All consultations, procedures, and injectables performed personally by Dr. Bhavya Sree -- never delegated Visakhapatnam's only plastic surgeon with dual international fellowship credentials in aesthetic surgery Natural-looking results -- surgical technique guided by an artist's eye for proportion and harmony

Types of Cleft Conditions

Type Description Cleft Lip Only A split in the upper lip -- unilateral (one side) or bilateral (both Cleft Palate Only sides). Repaired surgically at 3-6 months of age. A gap in the roof of the mouth -- affecting feeding and speech. Repaired at 9-12 months. Cleft Lip and Palate The most common and complex combination -- requiring staged Submucous Cleft Palate surgery across the first few years of life. A hidden cleft beneath an intact palatal mucosa -- often diagnosed later due to speech difficulties. Surgical Timeline -- Staged Approach Age 3-6 months Cleft lip repair (cheiloplasty) -- primary lip closure and nostril Age 9-12 months reconstruction Age 4-5 years School age+ Cleft palate repair (palatoplasty) -- closure of the hard and soft Late teens / Adult palate Secondary alveolar bone grafting -- if alveolar (gum) cleft present Speech therapy, orthodontic treatment, and secondary refinements Rhinoplasty and lip revision -- final aesthetic refinements when growth is complete

Cleft care is lifelong -- a team effort between the plastic surgeon, orthodontist, speech therapist, ENT specialist, and paediatric dentist. Dr. Bhavya Sree coordinates multidisciplinary cleft care for every patient from diagnosis through adulthood.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is cleft lip hereditary?

Cleft conditions have a multifactorial cause -- a combination of genetic and environmental factors. If one parent or a sibling has a cleft, the risk in subsequent children is approximately 4%. Genetic counselling is available through Dr. Bhavya Sree's network.

Will my child speak and eat normally after surgery? With timely, well-executed repair and appropriate speech therapy support, the majority of children with cleft conditions develop normal or near-normal speech and eating ability. Early palate repair (before 12 months) is the most important factor in speech outcome.

Are there scars? Yes -- surgical scars are inevitable. However, primary lip repair leaves a scar in the philtrum column -- an anatomically natural location that, when repaired with precision, becomes remarkably inconspicuous within 12-18 months and often imperceptible in adulthood. Contact Dr. Bhavya Sree's clinic promptly -- early planning makes all the difference -- drbhavyaplasticsurgery.com