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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    Are there potential dental problems associated with cleft lip?

    Related Topic
    Cleft Lip / Palate
    Our baby was born with cleft lip and I have heard that it can impact the formation of teeth. Should we be expecting special dental care for our child as he grows older?
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  • Dr Daniel James

    Dentist

    There may be dental implications for your son if he has a cleft lip. The extent of the dental problems would be related to the extent of the cleft, and whether any part of the palate was involved.

    Sometimes there are missing front teeth, and sometimes there can be extra teeth that form at the front called supernumerary teeth. The teeth may be of a different shape or size than normal, and the most commonly affected tooth is the upper second incisor, or lateral incisor.  Surgical correction of the cleft may create scar tissue which in turn affect the growth of the jaws and possibly affect the overall arch of the upper teeth.

    Because of these potential problems, you should take your son to see a dentist before he is one year old, and preferably a specialist paediatric dentist. It is important to remember that even though there are a number of possible dental problems, your son may experience only some, or even none of these problems.

    There are some limited Medicare benefits available for dental and orthodontic treatment for people with a cleft lip or palate.

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  • Manish Ahuja

    HealthShare Member

    Oral health is essential to general health and quality of life. It is a state of being free from mouth and facial pain, oral and throat cancer, oral infection and sores, periodontal (gum) disease, tooth decay, tooth loss, and other diseases and disorders that limit an individual’s capacity in biting, chewing, smiling, speaking, and psychosocial wellbeing.

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