Cleft lip or cleft palate can be seen once in 700-1000 births. There is usually no cause for the formation of cleft lip and palate. Medications taken during pregnancy, X-rays, stress, traumas such as falling down stairs or some virulent diseases are blamed in etiology. However, the effect of these factors is not certain. The disease does not pass through the mother or father. However, when such a disease occurs in the family, the likelihood of these diseases increases. Today, prenatal diagnosis during pregnancy can determine whether the baby has cleft lips or palate. Most children with clefts do not have any other congenital defects or anomalies. However, especially in patients with cleft palate, the child should be carefully evaluated due to other congenital anomalies. Most patients are normal in terms of intelligence and ability. In children with cleft, the risk of a collection of fluids in the middle ear – serous otitis media – is high. If left untreated, it can cause ear infections and ultimately hearing loss. In most children with clefts, dental abnormalities – such as crooked teeth, missing or excess teeth – can be seen. It is necessary to prefer people who specialize in this subject in the treatment of children with cleft lip palane.

Erroneous surgeries can make subsequent corrections impossible, and the child may suffer this injury for life. When the baby is 6-10 weeks old, the cleft lip is operated. This period is expected for the baby to reach a certain weight (4.5 kg.) where he/she will experience the risks of anesthesia at a minimum level. Pala palatical cleft surgery is performed according to the degree of cleft in the 6-18 month period. Scar tissue caused by surgery on the early operated palate can negatively affect the development of the upper jaw and face. If operated later, this time the child learns to talk to the cleft palat and after the palane is repaired, it becomes difficult to improve the speech. In children with cleft lips, additional surgeries may be required at older ages to correct the scars left on the lip after surgery. Children between the ages of ten and 20 may need to have nose surgeries to improve breathing or appearance. Especially in children with a double-sided cleft lip, if the part between both nostrils called colmella is short, the extension surgery is performed around the age of 6 years before starting school. Lip clefts are also operated to correct cartilage and soft tissue deformities (called slit-lip nose) at the tip of the nose after completing the development of the nose around the age of 18 after puberty circuit. It is preferable to perform this surgery with open rhinoplasty, where cartilage structures can be better shaped.