Dr Bonny Armstrong shares a case study using hyaluronic acid filler for cleft lip repair
Cleft lip and palate are common congenital craniofacial anomalies, occurring in around one in 700 births.1,2 They may involve the lip, palate or both, with presentations ranging from isolated cleft palate to combined cleft lip-palate, reflecting varied structural and functional impact.2
Aetiology and implications During normal embryogenesis, the upper lip forms between weeks four and seven as the maxillary and medial nasal processes fuse; failure of this fusion results in a cleft.3 This may arise from genetic predisposition, nutritional deficiency, teratogenic exposure or mechanical disruption, leading to incomplete union of the facial prominences.3-5
Clefts range from a small vermilion notch to a complete separation extending into the nostril, and may be unilateral or bilateral, complete or incomplete. When extending through the alveolar ridge into the palate, a cleft lip and palate…
