What is an alveolar cleft?
It is an opening in the bone of the upper jaw that sometimes contains teeth and is covered with mucosa before the eruption of the teeth. Why is a bone graft necessary? An alveolar cleft usually connects the anterior palate (front most part of the hard palate) to the nasal cavity. Because of the cleft, the nose does not have a floor and therefore, food (liquids and solids) can easily leak into the nose. This causes irritation of the tissue in the nasal passage, which usually results in rhinitis (inflammation of the lining of the nose causing irritation or constant drainage). A deviated septum or enlarged turbinate may also cause obstruction of the nasal passage. The closure of this opening prevents constant irritation and drainage. Simple closure of the opening without a bone graft heals poorly unless done very early in life. Bone graft ensures appropriate healing and also provides bone in the cleft area, which is essential for the eruption and maintenance of the permanent teeth. Can an
