Cleft and craniofacial disorders describe abnormalities in the head and face. Our specialists at the Center for Cleft and Craniofacial Care have experience treating a variety of these conditions, including:
A cleft lip is a separation in the lip that occurs when the lip does not form completely. It can range from a small notching in the lip to a large opening from the lip up through the nose.
A cleft palate is a separation in the roof of the mouth (palate). It can extend from the front of the mouth (hard palate) to the throat (soft palate) and may include the lip.
Craniosynostosis occurs when soft spots in the skull (sutures) close too early in an infant, causing problems with normal brain and skull growth. This can lead to abnormal head shape, increased pressure within the skull, hearing and vision problems and intellectual impairment. Craniosynostosis is present in Apert syndrome, Pfeiffer syndrome and Crouzon syndrome.
The DiGeorge syndrome occurs when there is a defect in chromosome 22, resulting in the poor development of several body systems. People with this syndrome may have heart defects, poor immune system function, a cleft palate, complications related to low levels of calcium in the blood and behavioral and emotional problems.
A condition similar to hemifacial microsomia, except with added neck problems and benign growths on the eye.
Hemifacial microsomia occurs when tissues on one side of the face are underdeveloped. It primarily affects the ear, mouth and jaw areas.
A condition that affects the development of bones and other tissues of the face. Most people with Treacher Collins syndrome have underdeveloped facial bones, particularly cheek bones and a very small jaw and chin. Symptoms can range from almost being unnoticeable to severe enough to cause life-threatening respiratory problems.
We also treat adult cleft and craniofacial disorders, which require special attention and care.
Other Craniofacial Disorders
We also have experience treating many craniofacial disorders, including:
- Apert Syndrome
- Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome
- Complex Cutis Aplasia
- Craniofacial Fibrous Dysplasia
- Crouzon Syndrome
- Deformational Plagiocephaly
- Dermoid Cyst
- Encephalocele
- Fibrous Dysplasia
- Hemihyperplasia
- Linear Scleroderma
- Micrognathia
- Microtia
- Muenke Syndrome
- Non-syndromic Craniosynostosis
- Opitz Syndrome
- Orbital Hypertelorism
- Oromandibular Limb Hypoplasia
- Parry-Romberg Syndrome
- Pfeiffer Syndrome
- Pierre Robin Sequence
- Plagiocephaly
- Rare Craniofacial Clefts
- Saethre-Chotzen Syndrome
- Stickler Syndrome
- Syndromic Craniosynostosis
- Tongue-based Obstruction
- Van der Woude Syndrome
Craniofacial Disorder Symptoms
Craniofacial disorder symptoms vary depending on the type and severity of the cleft or craniofacial disorder. General symptoms of craniofacial disorders include:
- Breathing difficulties
- Dental problems
- Head deformities
- Hearing problems
- Poor self-esteem
- Speech difficulties
- Vision problems
If you or your child has these symptoms or if we suspect a cleft or craniofacial disorder, we’ll walk you through diagnostic tests. These tests help identify the cleft or craniofacial disorder, so we can focus on treatment options.