Is the usage of a special palatal obturator recommended at some facilities to children with complete cleft lip and palate advisable?

 

Years of experience in the field of cleft lip and palate showed me that an early operation that improves the muscular system, and precisely speaking – reconstructing the continuity of the orbicularis oris muscle inhibits the uncontrolled growth of the premaxilla (the middle bone, just under the nose) – that is why I don’t support the idea of using the palatal obturator. There are mothers who are able to feed their babies with any nipple, provided that the child is positioned vertically, fed with taking breaks in order to make letting out the air, that the child swallows during eating, easier, provided that the milk flows out freely in drops. The nipples for children with the cleft have also another advantage, namely they cover the holes in the palate, so they actually play the role of the obturator, which also covers the passage to the nose.

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