Neonatal Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
“Breathing Easy Thanks to Innovation and Cooperation”
The New York Center for Orthognathic & Maxillofacial Surgery offers Neonatal Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery in Lake Success, West Islip, & Midtown NYC. Call 212-308-9200 to make an appointment.
Caring for the Newborn Patient
The team approach at NYCOMS allows us to practice at the highest level. Our relationships with neonatal intensive care, pediatric anesthesiologist, pediatric ENT, nursing staff, social workers, feeding specialists, speech and swallow therapy, and child psychologists provide comprehensive care for your infant. In addition to this integrated care of the infant, the family is also involved, educated and supported as part of our team approach to caring for the child.
Contact us today in Manhattan, West Islip or Lake Success to schedule an appointment.
With our expertise and state of the art facilities, we have the ability to manage surgical care for all ages – from the youngest child to the adult.
Cleft Palate
Cleft lip is an opening/split in the upper lip and cleft palate is an opening/split in the roof of the mouth (palate). Cleft lip and cleft palate result when these developing facial structures in an unborn baby do not close completely.
A series of surgeries can restore normal function and achieve a more normal appearance with minimal scarring.
A cleft lip is usually repaired between the ages of 3 to 6 months. Some children require a lip adhesion or a device such as a molding plate to bring the parts closer together before the full lip repair. A child with a cleft lip that is repaired will have a scar on the lip under the nose.
A cleft palate is usually repaired between 9 and 12 months of age. To repair the palate, the soft palate muscles from each side are connected to each other and the normal barrier between the mouth and nose is created.
Additional surgeries are needed to improve the appearance of the lip and nose, close the opening between the mouth and nose, help breathing, and stabilize and realign the jaw. Once the permanent teeth grow in, braces are often needed to straighten the teeth.