The following are terms you may encounter related to cleft or craniofacial care.
Alveolar Ridge: The bony ridge of the gumline containing the teeth
Anesthesia: Drugs provided during a surgical or dental operation that put the child to sleep.
Articulation: Movements of the mouth and airway that produce speech.
Articulation Test: An evaluation which provides information about how speech sounds are formed
Audiogram: A record of hearing levels or sensitivity.
Audiologist: A person with a degree, license, and certification in audiology (science of hearing) who measures hearing, identifies hearing loss, and participates in rehabilitation of hearing impairment.
Communication Disorder: An interference with a personu2019s ability to comprehend others or express themselves.
Comprehension: Knowledge or understanding of spoken or written language.
Congenital: A disease, deformity, or deficiency existing at the time of birth.
Consonant: Every letter sound except a,e,i,o,u.
Craniofacial Anomaly: A visible, structural and/or functional difference affecting the head (cranium) and/or face.
Crossbite: A dental condition where the upper teeth are behind the lower teeth rather than in front of them.
Crouzon Syndrome (Craniofacial Dysostosis): See Fact Sheet.
Dental Arch: The curved structure formed by the teeth in their normal position.
Dental Extraction: Dental procedures performed to remove damaged, malformed, or malpositioned teeth.
Dental Restoration: Dental procedures performed to repair or correct damaged, malformed, or missing teeth.
E.N.T.: The abbreviation for ear, nose, and throat.
Eustachian Tube: A passage surrounded by muscle that connects the nasopharynx to the middle ear. This passage allows for the equalization of pressure between outside air pressure and the middle ear. Yawning helps with this equalization.
Evaluation: Assessment, test.
Expressive Language: Communication of oneu2019s ideas, desires, or intentions to others, usually through speech or printed words.
Hearing Impairment: A loss in hearing which may range from mild loss to complete deafness.
Heredity: The total of the physical characteristics, abilities, and potentialities genetically derived from oneu2019s ancestors.
Hypernasality: A resonance disorder characterized by excess airflow through the nasal cavity due to poor function of the soft palate and lateral pharyngeal walls (sides of throat) or velopharyngeal dysfunction. Hypernasality can be heard when an individual speaks vowel sounds.
Hyponasality: A resonance disorder characterized by not enough airflow through the nasal cavity, typically heard in an individual with a cold or allergies.
Mandible: The lower jaw.
Maxilla: The upper jaw.
Middle Ear: The portion of the ear behind the eardrum. It contains three small bones which transfer sound from the eardrum to the inner ear.
Myringotomy: A minor surgical procedure in which a small slit is made in the ear-drum to allow fluid to drain from the middle ear.
Multidisciplinary Team: A group of professionals who work together to help plan and carry out treatment for patients with cleft lip, cleft palate, and related disorders. The group usually includes surgeons, dental specialists, speech pathologist, and others who meet regularly to evaluate and discuss the patients under their care.
Nasal Septum: The u201cwallu201d that divides the nose into right and left halves. It normally joins the roof of the hard palate like an u201cinverted 7.u201d
Nasopharyngoscopy: The use of an endoscopy placed in the nose to evaluate velopharyngeal function.
Oral Cavity: The mouth bounded by the teeth in front and the soft palate at the back.
Oral Hygiene: Care of the teeth and gums which is performed at home on a daily basis. This is performed first by the childu2019s parent or guardian while the child is small and eventually by the child under continued supervision of the parent or guardian.
Oral-Maxillo Facial Surgery: The specialty of dentistry concerned with management of dental and skeletal deformities.
Orofacial: Relating to the mouth and face.
Orthodontics: The specialty of dentistry concerned with the correction and prevention of irregularities and malocclusion of the teeth and jaws.
Orthodontic Care: Dental visits designed to move the teeth into better alignment with one another to improve chewing, oral hygiene, and appearance.
Otitis Media: Inflammation of the middle ear with accumulation of thick, mucous-like fluid u2013 Ear infection.
Otolaryngologist: An u201cear, nose and throatu201d physician specializing in the diagnosis and management of head and neck disorders.
Palate: The roof of the mouth including the front portion, or hard palate, and the back portion, or the soft palate (also called the velum).
Pediatrician: A physician specializing in treatment of children.
Pediatric Dentistry: The specialty of dentistry concerned with the care of childrenu2019s teeth.
Pharyngeal Flap: Surgical procedure designed to minimize hypernasality. A flap of skin creates a u201cbridgeu201d between the soft palate and the back of the throat
Philtral Columns: Normal ridges in the skin of the central upper lip connecting the peaks of the Cupidu2019s bow to the back of the nose.
Pierre Robin Sequence: See Fact Sheet.
Premaxilla: The small bone in the upper jaw which contains the upper four front teeth. Normally connected with the side segments of the upper jaw (maxilla) but separated in some clefts.
Preventative Dental Care: Regular dental visits during which teeth are checked for cavities and cleaned.
Prolabium: The central area of the upper lip beneath the center of the nose (columella) and between the philtral columns.
Prosthesis: An artificial substitute for a missing body part.
Prosthetic Speech Aid: A removable plastic appliance which provides a structural means of achieving velopharyngeal closure (separating the nose from the mouth).
Prosthodontist: A dentist who specializes in providing prosthetic appliances for oral structures.
Psychologist: An individual with the necessary academic training and experience to be licensed to practice psychology as a profession.
Resonance: The coordination of the soft palate and the lateral pharyngeal walls (sides of throat) to allow air to go through the nasal cavity during production of /m/n/ng and to close off the nasal cavity during production of vowels and all consonants with the exception of /m/n/ng.
Speech-Language Pathologist: An individual who is licensed (through their state) and certified (through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) to diagnose and treat disorders of articulation, language, voice, resonance and swallowing.
Speech Defect: Deviation of speech from the range of normal.
Speech Videofluoroscopy: A tape recorded x-ray examination of the speech mechanism during function, focusing on the soft palate (velum) and walls of the throat (pharynx). Useful in assessing velopharyngeal function.
Sphincter Pharyngoplasty: Surgical procedure designed to minimize hypernasality.
Submucous Clefts: See Fact Sheet.
Surgery: One of several medical specialties focused on the restoration and repair of various external defects.
Velopharyngeal Incompetence: Inability to achieve adequate velopharyngeal closure despite structures that may appear normal.
Velopharyngeal Insufficiency: A structural or functional disorder resulting in the inability to achieve adequate separation of the nasal and oral cavities.
Velum: The Latin name for the soft palate.
Voice Disorder: Difference in quality of voice, such as hoarseness, low speaking volume, or strained voice quality.