palate /pal·ate/ (pal´it) roof of the mouth; the partition separating the nasal and oral cavities.pal´atalpal´atine
Cleft palate
cleft palate,
cleft [kleft]
cleft palate congenital fissure of median line of palate.
hard palate the anterior portion of the palate, separating the oral and nasal cavities, consisting of the bony framework and covering membranes.
soft palate the fleshy part of the palate, extending from the posterior edge of the hard palate; the uvula projects from its free inferior border.
| cleft palate n. A congenital fissure in the roof of the mouth, resulting from incomplete fusion of the palate during embryonic development. It may involve only the uvula or extend through the entire palate. Also called palatoschisis. |   Left: cleft palate Right: unilateral cleft palate and lip |
Cleft palate
A congenital malformation in which there is an abnormal opening in the roof of the mouth that allows the nasal passages and the mouth to be improperly connected.
cleft palate,
a congenital defect characterized by a fissure in the midline of the palate, resulting from the failure of the two sides to fuse during embryonic development. The fissure may be complete, extending through both the hard and soft palates into the nasal cavities, or it may show any degree of incomplete or partial cleft. The condition, which occurs approximately once in every 2500 live births and affects females more than males, is often associated with a cleft in the upper lip. Together these abnormalities are the most common of the craniofacial malformations, accounting for half of the total number of defects. Feeding is best accomplished with special devices. Surgical repair of the defect is usually done in the first year of life. Care of the child requires a team approach that includes a plastic surgeon, orthodontist, dentist, nurse, speech and hearing therapists, and social workers. Long-term postoperative problems, including speech impairment and hearing loss, improper tooth development and alignment, chronic respiratory and ear infections, and varying levels of emotional and social maladjustment, may be largely prevented by modern techniques and reconstructive surgery. See also cleft lip.
cleft [kleft]
1. a fissure or longitudinal opening, especially one occurring during embryonic development.
2. having such a fissure.
branchial cleft
1. one of the slitlike openings in the gills of fish between the branchial arches.
facial cleft
1. any of the clefts between the embryonic prominences that normally unite to form the face.
2. failure of union of one of these embryonic clefts; depending on the site, this causes such developmental defects as cleft cheek, cleft mandible, or cleft lip. Called also prosoposchisis.
cleft lip (cleft palate) congenital fissure, or split, of the lip (cleft lip) or of the roof of the mouth (cleft palate); one or the other occurs in about one birth per thousand. Sometimes they are associated with clubfoot (talipes) or other anatomic defects. They have no connection with mental retardation. Although poor health of the mother during pregnancy may have some effect on the development of her child, the old superstition that psychologic experiences of the pregnant mother can cause cleft palate and cleft lip has no scientific basis. However, it is true that parents who were born with cleft palate or cleft lip are somewhat more likely than other parents to have children with these defects.
Cleft palate and cleft lip result from failure of the two sides of the face to unite properly at an early stage of prenatal development. The defect may be limited to the outer flesh of the upper lip (the term harelip, suggesting the lip of a rabbit, is both inaccurate and unkind), or it may extend back through the midline of the upper jaw through the roof of the palate. Sometimes only the soft palate, located at the rear of the mouth, is involved.
The infant with a cleft palate is unable to suckle properly, because the opening between mouth and nose through the palate prevents suction. Feeding must be done by other means, with a dropper, a cup, a spoon, or an obturator, a device inserted in the mouth to close the cleft while the baby is sucking. Cleft palate allows food to get into the nose, and it causes difficulty in chewing and swallowing. Later it will hinder speech, because consonants such as g, b, d, and f, which are normally formed by pressure against the roof of the mouth, are distorted by resonance in the nasal cavity. The cleft may also prevent movements of the soft palate essential in clear speech.
Cleft palate and cleft lip result from failure of the two sides of the face to unite properly at an early stage of prenatal development. The defect may be limited to the outer flesh of the upper lip (the term harelip, suggesting the lip of a rabbit, is both inaccurate and unkind), or it may extend back through the midline of the upper jaw through the roof of the palate. Sometimes only the soft palate, located at the rear of the mouth, is involved.
The infant with a cleft palate is unable to suckle properly, because the opening between mouth and nose through the palate prevents suction. Feeding must be done by other means, with a dropper, a cup, a spoon, or an obturator, a device inserted in the mouth to close the cleft while the baby is sucking. Cleft palate allows food to get into the nose, and it causes difficulty in chewing and swallowing. Later it will hinder speech, because consonants such as g, b, d, and f, which are normally formed by pressure against the roof of the mouth, are distorted by resonance in the nasal cavity. The cleft may also prevent movements of the soft palate essential in clear speech.
Treatment. Treatment of cleft palate and cleft lip is by surgery, followed by measures to improve speech. A cleft palate should be reconstructed by plastic surgery when the child is about 18 months old, before he learns to talk. The corrective work usually requires only one operation. After surgery, the child often needs special training in speech to facilitate communication and maintain self-esteem. Cleft lip usually can be corrected by surgery when the child reaches a weight of 12 to 15 lb (5.4 to 7 kg), generally at the age of 2 to 3 months. Successful surgery often leaves only a thin scar and a greatly improved ability to form the p, b, and m sounds. A child born with a moderate degree of cleft palate or cleft lip can look forward to a life normal in appearance, speech, and manner if proper action is taken early. This means consulting and carefully following the advice of competent specialists in medicine, surgery, dentistry, and speech.
Patient Care. The main concerns during the preoperative period are maintenance of adequate nutrition, prevention of respiratory infections, and speech therapy to prevent development of bad habits of speech. Postoperative care must be aimed at prevention of trauma to or infection of the operative site. The child is not allowed to lie prone until the incision is completely healed. Elbow restraints are used to keep the fingers and hands away from the mouth. The patient is usually fed with a special syringe with a rubber tip as long as only liquids are allowed. When a soft diet is prescribed, care must be taken that the spoon or other eating utensils do not damage the suture line. Mouth care is given frequently to keep the mouth clean and reduce the danger of infection. Dental caries often occurs in patients with cleft palate and regular visits to the dentist are needed. Tender loving care, always a part of pediatric care, is even more necessary when caring for these children. They must be reassured and kept quiet so that crying and restlessness do not undo the work done by the surgeon. (See Atlas 1, Part A.)
A, Severe and B, mild form of cleft lip/palate. From Mueller et al., 2001.
palate [pal´at]
the roof of the mouth. The hard palate is the front portion braced by the upper jaw bones (maxillae); it has a bony framework and forms the partition between the mouth and the nose. The soft palate is the fleshy part arching downward from the hard palate to the throat; it separates the mouth and the pharynx. When a person swallows, the rear of the soft palate swings up against the back of the pharynx and blocks the passage of food and air to the nose. A fleshy lobe called the uvula hangs from the middle of the soft palate. adj., adj pal´atal.
cleft palate see cleft lip and cleft palate.
premaxillary palate (primary palate) that portion of the palate that was the median nasal process during early development.
secondary palate that portion of the palate that was the lateral nasal processes during early development.
cleft (kleft),
n a longitudinal fissure of opening.
cleft, facial,
n the fissures along the embryonal lines of the junction of the maxillary and lateral nasal processes; usually extend obliquely from the nasal ala to the outer border of the eye (canthus).
cleft, gingival,
n a cleft of the marginal gingiva; may be caused by many factors, such as incorrect toothbrushing, a breakthrough to the surface of pocket formation, or faulty tooth positions, and may resemble a V-shaped notch.
cleft lip,
n a congenital anomaly of the face caused by the failure of fusion between embryonic maxillary and medial nasal processes.
)
Cleft lip and palate.
cleft, occult,
n See submucous cleft.
cleft, operated,
n (postoperative cleft), a cleft that has been surgically repaired.
cleft palate,
n a congenital anomaly of the oral cavity caused by the failure of fusion between the embryonic palatal shelves.
cleft palate, alveolar graft,
n a bone graft placed at the site of a hard palate cleft before teeth have an opportunity to erupt through the gingiva tissue. It creates the architecture necessary for normal eruption of the maxillary teeth and provides support for adjacent teeth. It may also eliminate the need for prosthetic intervention in the future.
cleft palate, hard palate graft,
n a bone graft used to block the oronasal passage in order to facilitate breathing in children with hard palate clefts.
cleft palate prosthesis,
cleft, postoperative,
n See cleft, operated.
cleft, Stillman's,
n the small fissures extending apically from the midline of the gingival margin in teeth subjected to trauma. Although these clefts may be found in traumatism, they are not necessarily diagnostic of occlusal trauma.
cleft, submucous,
n See submucous cleft.
cleft, unoperated,
n a cleft of the palate that has not been surgically repaired.
palate (pal´
t),n the bone and soft tissue that closes the space encompassed by the maxillary arch, extending posteriorly to the pharynx. The palate forms the “roof of the mouth” and connects to the nasal septum and floor of the nose in the midline.
palate, acquired cleft,
n a noncongenital defect of soft or hard tissues of the hard and soft palate.
palate, cleft,
n a cleft in the palate between the two palatal processes. It can vary in involvement and can be associated with cleft lip. If both hard and soft palates are involved, it is a
uranostaphyloschisis; if only the soft palate is divided, it is a
uranoschisis. The term
cleft palate is often erroneously applied to clefts between the median nasal and maxillary processes through the alveolus. The proper term for this type of cleft is
cleft jaw, or
gnathoschisis.
uranostaphyloschisis; if only the soft palate is divided, it is a
uranoschisis. The term
cleft palate is often erroneously applied to clefts between the median nasal and maxillary processes through the alveolus. The proper term for this type of cleft is
cleft jaw, or
gnathoschisis.
)
Cleft palate.
n a congenital nonunion or inadequacy of soft and hard tissues related to the lip, nose, alveolar process, hard palate, and velum. The extent of these deformities varies among individuals. Varieties of classifications are available to identify the extent of the cleft.
palate, hard,
n the anterior part of the palate, which is supported by and includes the palatal extensions of the maxillary and palatine bones.
palate, primary,
n the shelf separating the oral and nasal cavities that is formed during early embryonic development from protrusions of tissue between the olfactory pits. It is also called
primitive palate.
primitive palate.
palate, secondary,
n the final palate that is formed during embryonic development when projections from the nasal prominences come together to create portions of the maxillary arch.
palate, soft,
n the part of the palate lying posterior to the hard palate, composed of only soft tissues without underlying bony support.
palate, soft, redivision,
n the surgical incision or removal of a V-shaped area of tissue from the soft palate to facilitate the proper placement of the pharyngeal section of a prosthetic speech aid.
palate splitting appliance,
n an orthodontic appliance cemented to buccal teeth on either side, incorporating a jackscrew that is progressively extended to accomplish forceful separation of the two lateral halves of the bony palate. Similar corrections also are accomplished with removable split-palate appliances.
cleft
a fissure or longitudinal opening, especially one occurring during embryonic development.
branchial c's
the slit-like openings in the gills of fish between the branchial arches; also, the homologous branchial grooves between the branchial arches of mammalian embryos.
cleft chin
occasionally seen in cattle particularly Herefords. There is a notch at the mandibular symphysis and the central incisors may be directed centrally.
frog cleft
the sagittal cleft in the frog of the horse's foot.
glottic cleft
entrance to the larynx; called also rima glottidis.
infundibular cleft
common opening of the auditory tubes in birds.
interdigital cleft
separates the hooves.
cleft lip
a defect in fusion between the central prolabium and one or both lateral mesodermal masses. Most common in dogs of the brachycephalic breeds; may be inherited or caused by environmental factors. Often combined with defects in the palate. Called also primary cleft palate, harelip, cheiloschisis.
Congenital fissure, or split, may involve the hard or soft palate. A common cause of nasal regurgitation in neonates, especially foals. Known to be inherited in some breeds of cattle and dogs, particularly brachycephalic breeds. Called also secondary cleft palate, palatoschisis.
)
Cleft lip (harelip) in a calf. By permission from Blowey RW, Weaver AD, Diseases and Disorders of Cattle, Mosby, 1997
cleft palate
see cleft lip (above). Also occurs commonly in diseases manifest with arthrogryposis, both hereditary as in Charolais cattle and with lupine-induced crooked calf.
Rathke cleft
see rathke's pouch.
cleft tongue
the anterior portion is divided by a longitudinal cleft.
palate
the roof of the mouth.
The front portion braced by the upper jaw bones (maxillae) is known as the hard palate and forms the partition between the mouth and the nose. The fleshy part arching from the hard palate to the throat is called the soft palate and separates the oropharynx from the nasopharynx. When the animal swallows, the rear of the soft palate swings up against the back of the pharynx and blocks the passage of food and air to the nose. See also soft palate.
cleft palate
see cleft lip.
displaced palate
the soft palate of the horse, except during deglutition, rests below the epiglottis. It may be displaced and come to lie above the epiglottis, due either to hypoplasia of the epiglottis or paresis of the soft palate.
midline defect of palate
see cleft lip.
palate reflexes
swallowing caused by stimulation of the palate.
cleft palate
Embryology A congenital defect characterized by a failure in the fusion of the hard and/or soft palate, often associated with cleft lip. See Cleft lip.
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