A cleft lip or cleft palate is one of the most common congenital craniofacial conditions, occurring when the tissues of the lip and/or roof of the mouth do not fully develop during early pregnancy. These conditions can affect a child’s ability to eat, speak, hear, breathe, and achieve normal facial growth, making early diagnosis and specialized care essential. Successful treatment requires more than a single procedure—it involves a comprehensive, long-term approach delivered by an experienced multidisciplinary team.
Board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Ali Totonchi is a fellowship-trained craniofacial surgeon with extensive experience treating infants and children with cleft lip, cleft palate, and other complex craniofacial conditions. As the Medical Director of the Craniofacial Disorders Clinic at MetroHealth Medical Center, Dr. Totonchi works alongside pediatric specialists, speech therapists, orthodontists, ENT physicians, pediatric dentists, and other healthcare professionals to provide comprehensive care from infancy through early adulthood. Every treatment plan is carefully tailored to support healthy development, restore function, and achieve the best possible aesthetic outcome while providing compassionate support for both patients and their families.
Real Dr. Totonchi Patient, Before & After Cleft Lip & Cleft Palate Surgery *
Taking care of the infants and children with cleft lip and palate and other congenital anomalies is one of Dr. Totonchi’s passions and he seeks to improve the lives of these children by providing surgical and medical treatment for these conditions. A cleft lip and palate are oral and facial malformations that occur during the early stages of pregnancy. A cleft lip and palate happens when there is insufficient tissue in the lip and mouth area due to lack of proper fusion in early pregnancy.Cleft Lip and Palate in Cleveland, OH
Patients with cleft lip have a physical separation or a split between the two sides of the upper lip. The cleft lip appears as a gap or a narrow opening in the patient’s skin in the upper lip. There are cases when this sometimes extends to the base of the nose and may include the bones in the upper jaw or gum. A cleft palate, on the other hand, appears as an opening or a visible split in the roof of the mouth of our patients. Patients with cleft palate can have both the hard palate and the soft palate affected by the condition.
Cleveland Plastic Surgeon Dr. Ali Totonchi advises the patients and parents of patients that the cause of a cleft lip and palate are still unknown and the occurrence of the condition cannot be prevented for the most part. The appearance of cleft lip and palate in patients can be caused by numerous factors some of which can be genetic or caused by environmental elements.
Studies for cleft lip and palate have shown that the chances of a child to be born with this condition increases if the child has a sibling, a parent, or even a relative that has a cleft lip or palate.
Treatment of the patients with cleft lip and palate requires comprehensive team care. Diagnosis and treatment starts with a prenatal diagnosis and counseling of the parents. This is followed by immediate postpartum care of the baby and then step wise and staged treatment of the condition.
Dr. Ali Totonchi is medical director of the multispecialty “Craniofacial Deformity Clinic” in MetroHealth Medical center in Cleveland Ohio, which treats the infants and children with cleft lip and palate and other congenital anomalies. Our team consists of a pediatric plastic surgeon, pediatrician, ENT, oral surgery, pediatric neurosurgery, pediatric anesthesiologist, audiologist, speech pathologist, pediatric dentistry, geneticist and orthodontists. Patients are seen on a regular basis in our multidisciplinary clinic. Their development is monitored in addition to having response to treatment measured and proper the decisions are made during these visits. Patients who require cleft lip and palate repair may need to undergo several procedures before the repair is completed. Dr. Totonchi’s “treatment time line form” link can be found in this page and “form” page.
A cleft lip repair can be done when an infant is about three months old. Some infants may benefit from bringing the segments closer to each other prior to surgery by nasoalveolar molding. The repair will involve closing the gap created by the cleft using flaps from the child’s lip. A cleft palate repair is usually done at the age of 11-12 months of age; if patient has a gum line cleft it can be repaired at the age of 9-10 years of age by local flaps and bone grafting. Some patients may require a few additional surgeries to improve speech quality or closure shape. Our MetroHealth Medical center craniofacial surgery team follows the patient to 18-21 years of age, to ensure the patients to get the best care. Cleft lip and cleft palate treatment is a very long process that requires the cooperation of the surgeon, the parent, and the patient to make it a success.
Treating a cleft lip or cleft palate is a journey that extends beyond surgery. From your child’s first evaluation through each stage of growth and development, Dr. Ali Totonchi is committed to providing exceptional surgical care while partnering closely with your family every step of the way. His goal is to restore function, promote healthy facial development, improve speech and feeding, and help every child grow with confidence.
During your consultation, Dr. Totonchi will carefully evaluate your child’s condition, answer your questions, explain the recommended treatment timeline, and coordinate care with the multidisciplinary craniofacial team. Together, we’ll create a personalized treatment plan designed to provide the highest level of care and the best possible long-term outcome.
If your child has been diagnosed with a cleft lip or cleft palate, we’re here to help. Contact Totonchi Plastic Surgery today at (216) 778-2262 for our Cleveland and Westlake locations or (440) 461-7999 for our Lyndhurst location to schedule a consultation and learn more about our comprehensive craniofacial care.
