Cleft Lip And Palate Case Study

Anatomy and Physiology:

In order to understand about cleft lip and palate we must know the complete anatomy and physiology of cleft i.e. we must know what is cleft? What is the normal and abnormal anatomy?, what are the factors that causing clefts? Etc.

As the number of children’s with cleft lip and palate increasingly day by day that's why there is a critical need of effective and appropriate diagnosis and treatment of person's suffering from cleft lip and palate.

1. Hard palate:

In simple words we can say that hard palate is a bony part of the roof of the mouth. We cannot see the bones because it is covered by the mucosa ( moist , pink tissue covering the body parts ). When you open your mouth you can see the hard palate which is present in front of your mouth. Hard palate is made up of processes of maxilla and the horizontal plates of the palatine bones. It is bounded:

• Anteriorly and Laterally : alveolar arches or maxillary teeth

• Superiorly : respiratory epithelium of nasal cavity

• Inferiorly : masticatory epithelium of oral cavity

• Posteriorly : connected to the soft palate

Blood supply of hard palate is mainly from greater palatine artery and nerve supply is via tha anterior palatine and nasopalatine nerves. [2] 2. Soft palate :

It also known as " Velum palatinum ". Posteriorly hard palate

This tube makes a communication between the naso-pharynx and the tympanic cavity. In adults, its length is about 36mm forming an angle of 45 degree. On the other surface of eustachian tube, small cilia like structures are present that are responsible for the drainage of mucous secretions from the middle ear to the pharynx. The main aim or function of eustachian tube is to ventilate the middle ear and equalizes the pressure on both sides of the tympanic membrane (drum). Three muscles are attached to the eustachian tube. These are Tensor veli palatini, Levator veli palatini and