Famous people in history with cleft palate and cleft lip

Cleft palate and cleft lip is a common condition affecting about one out of every eight hundred people. Movie stars have had it. Famous historical figures have had it. Maybe you have had it or your child has it now. Fortunately, in most cases cleft palate and cleft lip conditions can be resolved through oral surgery. In fact, surgeons have been correcting this condition for longer than you are probably aware – even Doc Holliday received cleft palate surgery when he was a baby.

Doc Holliday:  the Wild West gunslinger dentist who had cleft palate

Doc Holliday was a famous gambling, gun-slinging dentist from the American frontier days. He was born in Georgia with cleft palate and a partially cleft lip. However, his surgeon uncle corrected the condition when Holiday was only two months old. After surgery, he did not have any mechanical speech problems, although his mother did provide a form of speech therapy to ensure he grew up without any speaking problems. Actually, the scar from his cleft surgery is visible in the one surviving picture of the gun-slinging doctor, which was taken when he graduated from dental school. Since Doc Holliday was himself a dentist, he is a great success story for oral surgeons and cleft palate patients alike.

Joaquin Phoenix: the Hollywood actor with a minor form of cleft lip

Joaquin Phoenix is a famous person from modern times who suffers from the mildest form of cleft lip. Joaquin however does not agree he was born with cleft since he was in fact born with what is referred to as micro cleft, which did not need to be corrected through surgery. The effect of the condition presents itself as nothing more than a line on his upper lip.

King Tut: the ancient Egyptian Pharaoh with cleft palate

King Tutankhamun, who ruled ancient Egypt as Pharaoh from 1341 BC to 1323 BC, is believed to have suffered from a form of cleft palate. King Tut became the most famous Egyptian Pharaoh ever, after the discovery of his undisturbed tomb in 1922. Later, through the use of high-tech imaging equipment, it was discovered that the young Pharaoh from the Eighteenth Dynasty probably had a slightly cleft palate.  Further details about how this condition may have affected his life, however, can only be speculated.

If your child has cleft lip or cleft palate see an oral surgeon now

Every manifestation of cleft palate and cleft lip is unique, but fortunately an oral surgeon has many different procedures available for correcting the different forms of the condition. While some procedures may require several surgeries, others could be corrected quickly with one surgery. 

If you live in the Charlotte NC area and your child suffers from cleft palate or cleft lip, maxillofacial and oral surgeon Dr. Kevin Bond of SouthparkOral Surgery is available, just like Doc Holliday’s uncle was, to help your child overcome the condition. Dr. Kevin Bond specializes in the most advanced cleft palate and cleft lip procedures. Indeed, he is proud to help Charlotte NC children overcome this condition so they can live normal and uncomplicated lives. To find out more about Dr. Kevin Bond, you can visit is website now at www.southparkoralsurgery.com.

Cleft Palate and Cleft Lip Repair in Charlotte NC

A cleft lip or a cleft palate affects one out of eight hundred babies. These are two different conditions, but are related to each other since a child can suffer from one or both of them. A cleft palate is when the roof of the mouth did not develop properly; leaving an opening in the roof of the mouth, which causes feeding problems for babies and speech problems for older children. A cleft lip, on the other hand, is a separation from the middle area of the upper lip up to the nose. This causes nostril deformity and can affect the facial appearance. Like a cleft palate, babies may also experience feeding problems and older children may have difficulty in forming sounds.

Fortunately for children who are born with these conditions, a maxillofacial surgeon can do repairs. Children with cleft palate may undergo surgery between seven to eighteen months. During the procedure, the roof of the mouth will be closed and muscles will be reconnected. For children with a cleft lip, they may undergo surgery at around ten years of age. The gap will be closed and other problems in the nostrils will also be fixed to improve the appearance.

Every case is different. If you are interested to have your child's cleft lip or palate corrected, schedule a visit with Dr. Kevin Bond and his staff in Southpark Oral Surgery.

All About Cleft Lip and Palate

Recent studies show that one or two out of a thousand babies are either born with a cleft lip or a cleft palate. However, this is a birth defect that shouldn't worry any parent because there are already procedures that can correct it. To correct a cleft lip or palate, a maxillofacial and oral surgeon will have to be present during the procedure. The recommended age for a surgery is around 8 to 12 years old and the patient has to be in good condition.

You may ask: "Why should my child undergo this surgery?" Cleft lip or palate correction will significantly improve not just your child's physical appearance but also his/her quality of life. If this is not corrected early on, a cleft lip or palate may cause poor teeth development, middle ear infections, hearing loss, and may even hinder speech development.

If you want to give your child a better life, consider getting his/her cleft lip or palate corrected. All you need to do is to consult with your local oral surgeon for more information on the surgery.