July is National Cleft & Craniofacial Awareness & Prevention Month. During this month it is important to bring awareness and understanding of birth defects that could affect the head and face along with conditions caused by trauma, burns, and disease. In the United States, about 7,000 babies are born with orofacial clefts every year.

Some of the craniofacial birth defects a child could suffer from are cleft lip, cleft palate, or both. These cause many problems, such as difficulty eating, speaking, and misaligned teeth. The cause for most cases is unknown but the environmental exposure during pregnancy could be a reason why. In 2014 it was confirmed by the Surgeon’s General report that smoking during early pregnancy can cause orofacial cleft. If you are pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant it’s very important to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

To correct both cleft lip and palate is possible through surgery. If you would like to get a second opinion, contact us to get an opinion from one of our American Board Certified doctors.