Palatal Defects Research Articles

Impacted Maxillary Canine with Curved Apex: Three-Dimensional Guided Protocol for Autotransplantation

IntroductionMaxillary canines play a crucial role in dental and facial aspect, arch expansion, and efficient occlusion. When surgical exposure measures cannot be executed or the patient does not agree to take the treatment, autotransplantation should be considered. The aim of this case report was to describe a novel surgical technique using virtually planned three-dimensional (3D)-printed templates for guided apicoectomy and guided drilling of the recipient site for autotransplantation of an impacted maxillary canine with a curved apex. MethodsA 42-year-old man complaining of pain and increased mobility in the maxillary left primary canine came to the clinic. Autotransplantation of the impacted canine was completed using altered methods from guided implant surgery to manufacture 3D-printed templates. After a full-thickness mucoperiosteal flap elevation, the surgical template for the guided osteotomy and apicoectomy was inserted. This 3D-printed guide allowed the clinician to perform a quick and precise removal of the curved apex, providing an atraumatic extraction of the impacted canine throughout the cyst. Three further 3D surgical guides for implant burs and a 3D replica tooth were printed to modify the recipient socket. After the final position, the tooth was semi-rigid splinted to the adjacent teeth. ResultsFollow-up at 2 years showed complete regeneration of the palatal defect and remodeling of the bone surrounding the maxillary canine. ConclusionsDigitally planned procedures can facilitate the complex execution of an autotransplantation, reducing the treatment chair time and the morbidity for the patient as well as increasing the predictability of the result.

Role of the facial artery musculomucosal flap in the reconstruction of palatal defects

The facial artery musculomucosal flap (FAMM flap) is a convenient option for covering complicated palatal defects, as it is a local flap inside the oral cavity with good tissue quality and minimal drawbacks. The present prospective study included 17 patients, 7 males and 10 females. Most of the patients had palatal fistulae, after cleft palate surgical repair; only one had a post-traumatic palatal defect. Superiorly based FAMM flaps were used for eight patients, and inferiorly based FAMM flaps were used for nine patients. A speech specialist assessed all patients, postoperatively. The range of follow-up time was from two to four years. In the majority of cases, reconstruction was successful and uneventful. Patients were satisfied regarding oral function. Complications were minor, which include incomplete coverage, bulkiness, temporary hardness and dimpling. The FAMM flap is a very useful, versatile, and technically easy flap for covering difficult palatal defects.

Prosthetic Rehabilitation of an Unusually Self-Obturated Cleft Palate Defect in an Adult Edentulous Patient Living in a Remote Rural Area. A Clinical Report

Patients with unrepaired cleft palate defects still exist within remote rural areas. The prosthodontic rehabilitation of an adult edentulous cleft patient could be very demanding for treating maxillofacial prosthodontist, since most of them are edentulous, challenging the retention and the stability of the maxillary prosthesis. It is therefore highly important that cleft palate patients seek dental and prosthodontic care as early in their life as possible. In this report, an unusual case of a patient self-obturated cleft palate defect is presented. The patient’s self-made prosthesis was replaced by an appropriately fabricated pharyngeal obturator prosthesis in order to improve speech and swallowing.

The use of a “chimeric” autotissue complex from the subscapularis vascular basin for maxillary reconstruction after malignant tumors resection

The objective of this work – to evaluate the results of reconstructive interventions using free revascularized tissue complexes of the scapular region in patients after maxillary resection for malignant tumors. Materials and methods. Between 2014–2020 the post-resection maxillary defects were replaced with free blood-sup plied flaps of the scapular region in 19 patients. In Group 1 (n = 10), the defect was eliminated after total maxillectomy with preservation of the eyeball using a “chimeric” tissue complex, parts of which were positioned in several planes. In Group 2 (n = 9), total and subtotal defects of the hard palate and alveolar process were replaced using a free flap with the inclusion of the scapula angle, which was placed horizontally. The functional and aesthetic results of the reconstructions, the degree of morphological correspondence of the reconstructed structures, as well as the incidence of postoperative complications were assessed. Results. In Group 1 total necrosis of the flap was noted in 2 cases (20 %), in 1 (10 %) case – necrosis of the skin fragment). In Group 2 graft necrosis was observed in 1 (11 %) patient. Satisfactory and excellent aesthetic and functional results were achieved in 6 (60 %) patients in Group 1 and 8 (89 %) patients in Group 2. Conclusion. The scapular flap has a number of advantages for microsurgical reconstruction, including the presence of a long vascular pedicle with large vessels, inclusion of different tissues, possibility of harvesting a “chimeric” version (with significant mobility of parts), low rate of vascular lesions in the area, and most importantly, morphologically close location of bone tissue of the scapula to the maxilla, which ensures successful application of this flap for maxillary repair in patients with advanced cancer of the upper jaw.

Bifid Tongue and Cleft Palate: A Rare Congenital Malformation

Background: Congenital bifid tongue without other craniofacial abnormalities is a very rare malformation. Here, we discuss a case of the bifid tongue with cleft palate, reported in a 7-month-old girl with no other syndromes or craniofacial abnormalities. Case Reports: This case report described a 7-month-old girl with an anterior bifid tongue, separated medially by a soft, solitary sublingual mass measuring 3 cm x 2 cm in size. There was also an associated incomplete cleft palate. A soft solitary mass measuring 2 cm x 2 cm in size was also seen within the cleft palate. Results: Computed facial tomography (CT) revealed a midline hard palate defect with an intact alveolar process of the maxilla. Pedunculated cystic lesion suspected with epulis was noted to arise on premaxillary alveolar mucosa. Excision of the tongue and hard palate mass and repair of the bifid tongue were done. Summary: Congenital bifid tongue with a cleft is a very rare malformation with different variations. Early surgical intervention is critical to prevent speech impairment and swallowing disorders. A multidisciplinary approach, including well-planned staged operations and rehabilitation, is important to achieve favorable outcomes.

Digital workflow and virtual validation of a 3D-printed definitive hollow obturator for a large palatal defect

This clinical report describes how a hollow obturator prosthesis was designed and fabricated for an 82-year-old partially edentulous patient with a large palatal defect. Computer-aided design (CAD) was used to design, articulate, and align the mandibular denture with the obturator prosthesis. The prosthesis was printed, adjusted chairside, rescanned, and made hollow by using a CAD software program. The prosthesis was printed in resin with a dental 3D printer. Quantitative evaluations of clinical (prosthesis dimensions, rest, and occlusal vertical dimensions) and virtual (surface area, volume, weight, interpoint mismatches, spatial overlap) parameters found that the 3D-printed prosthesis required an additional 5% chairside modification. The greatest differences in volume (24.7% less) and weight (22.2% less) were observed when the modified obturator bulb was made hollow via CAD. Hollowing the bulb, therefore, reduced the spatial overlap in volume by 16.8%.

Five-year prospective fistula audit in a single center. TIG training negates consultant learning curve, but surgeons should beware the mid-range palatal defect

The aim of primary palatoplasty is to achieve optimum speech with minimal morbidity. Symptomatic fistulae are well-recognised complications of palatoplasty and may require additional surgical intervention, increasing the burden of care. Our aims were to better understand fistula experience in our unit and compare fistula rates between an established consultant and a newly appointed training interface group (TIG) trained consultant. Post-operative fistulae were prospectively and independently recorded by Cleft Clinical Nurse Specialists as part of routine 6-week post-operative reviews. Cleft type and intra-operative hard-soft palate junction (HSPJ) width were prospectively recorded by operating surgeons. Data were collated and analysed using Microsoft Excel. Between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2018, 250 primary palatoplasties were performed. The overall fistula rate was 8% (0% SMCP, ICP 7%, UCLP 8%, BCLP 22%). Fistulae clustered in clefts with a mid-range HSPJ width of 12-16mm. Numerically, fistula rates remained similar over time despite increased unit activity (doubling of primary surgeries in 2017 and 2018). There was no significant difference in fistulae rates between surgeons (P>0.05). Overall fistulae rate compared favourably with published data. TIG fellowships were designed in the context of cleft surgery to address issues relating to steep operative learning curves. These data demonstrate that results from a newly appointed TIG-trained surgeon are comparable to that of an established TIG-trained surgeon. Data also suggest surgeons should be aware of the risk of fistulae in the mid-range palatal defect and in HSPJ widths of 12-16mm.

OROFACIAL CLEFTING –AN EXTENSIVE REVIEW

Groove in the palatal vault makes an abnormal communication between oral and nasal cavity is known as oro-facial cleft. It is an uncommon presentation in day-to-day clinical practice. According to World Health Organization, children with the complaint of oro-facial clefts found to be high in India. Children are commonly suffering from functional and aesthetical problems due to Oro-facial clefting. Globally, an estimated 200,000 babies are born with a cleft lip, palate or both each year in the United States. Etiology may be congenital or acquired. Palatal and Alveolar cleft defects are the most common etiological factors. Cleft lip and cleft palate can sometimes develop in combination with a syndrome due to genetic causes. The acquired causes may be infections, trauma, postsurgical complications, neoplasms, periapical pathology, radio and chemo necrosis. Clinical features like defective speech, and upper respiratory tract and ear infections, fetid odor, bad taste, nasal regurgitation of food are the associated consequences of oro-nasal communication. Therefore, this malformation syndrome is an important public health problem. Many cleft palate and cleft lip develops due to the combination of genetic and environmental factors. There are more than 400 genes linked to formation of cleft lip and palate. Some environmental factors associated with cleft include medications, deficiency of folic acid, and cigarette, drugs or alcohol conception during pregnancy. In this article we review the anatomy, embryology, epidemiology clinical manifestations and treatment options of the oro-facial cleft
 Key words: Oro-facial Cleft, Classification, , Anatomy , Embryology, Morphology, Incidence, Congenital Anomaly

Reconstruction of Large Acquired Palatal Defects Using Facial-Submental Artery Island Flap.

To evaluate the feasibility and clinical effect of facial-submental artery island flap (FSAIF) in the repair of palatal defects, and to provide reference for the clinical application of submental artery island flap. Nine patients with palatal defects, the range of nasal palatal perforation defects were 3 cm × 4cm to 3 cm × 6 cm (median 3 cm × 5.4 cm), were repaired by FSAIF, and the sizes of FSAIF were 4 cm × 9cm to 4 cm × 12 cm (median 4 cm × 10.4 cm,). Postoperative clinical efficacy was evaluated, including infection and necrosis of mucosal flap and postoperative palatal fistula perforation. Patients were followed up to evaluate their chewing, swallowing, speech function, and satisfaction of appearance. All patients were successfully repaired with FSAIF. Followed up 13∼35 months, there was no palatal fistula perforation in all patients. The speech, agitation, and swallowing function were not affected and the patients were satisfied with the appearance. FSAIF is a safe and reliable method for palatal defect repair.

Submental Flap in the Reconstruction of Palatal Defects.

Amongst oral cancers, malignancies of the palate and the upper gingivo-buccal complex are relatively uncommon. Following resection, defects in the palate lead to a nasal speech and nasal regurgitation on swallowing. This is best overcome with a prosthetic obturator which occludes the palatal defect and has dentures for the upper alveolus. It may not be possible to fit a prosthetic obturator in edentulous patients and in patients with trismus. Microvascular free flaps though commonly used for such defects, are time consuming, expensive and require a specialised setup. This study assesses the submental flap for its feasibility to repair palatal defects, the sturdiness of the flap, its functional outcome and the oncological safety in using the flap. This is a retrospective analysis of 46 patients, where palatal defects for oral cancers were reconstructed with the submental flap. Oncological safety was studied in 41 patients with a median follow-up of 34.5months. 20 patients were studied for their functional outcomes using the parameters, adopted from the University of Washington-Quality of Life questionnaire. Complete flap loss was seen in 4 (8.7%) patients while 2 (4.35%) patients had minor dehiscence. No donor site morbidity was reported. Locoregional Recurrences and distant metastasis were noted in 13 of the 41 patients studied. The mean score was highest for speech at 95.5% while the lowest mean score was for mouth opening at 42.5%. The submental flap is an effective and reliable alternative for the reconstruction of palatal defects.

The Application of Buccal Fat Pad to Cover Lateral Palatal Defect Causes Early Mucolization.

IntroductionCleft lip and cleft palate are among the most common birth defects. These deformities lead to profound psychosocial and functional effects on cleft palate patients. Several surgical techniques have been described for the repair of the cleft. The defects lateral to mucoperiosteal flaps closure are sometimes covered with sterile gauze soaked with soft paraffin or tincture of benzoin or are left open for mucolization by means of secondary intention. The buccal fat pad (BFP) is used as a pedicled graft to cover the exposed bone of the lateral palatal defect, and it is associated with proposed benefits of early healing and fewer effects on transverse growth of the maxilla.Materials and methodsThis was a prospective study involving 42 cleft palate patients who underwent cleft palate repair; 21 patients received BFP as an additional step to cover lateral palatal defect while the rest of the patients (n=21) underwent conventional surgical cleft palate repair and the defect was covered with Surgicel (Ethicon, Inc., Bridgewater, NJ). Postoperative follow-up was conducted at first, second, and third weeks postoperatively to assess the time required for mucolization.ResultsOur cohort of 42 patients included an equal number of complete and incomplete cleft palate patients. Follow-up at the first postoperative week showed an equal number (n=21, 100%) patients with incomplete mucolization on both groups, while at the second postoperative follow-up, only one (4.8%) of the patients who underwent conventional cleft palate repair had complete mucolization while 20 (95.2%) among the patients who underwent BFP had complete mucolization. At the third-week postoperative follow-up, three (14.3%) patients from the conventional group had complete mucolization, while 18 (85.7%) had incomplete mucolization. Only two patients (4.8%) developed recipient area complications, and they were managed conservatively.ConclusionBFP is a good source of vascularized tissue to cover the hard palate bones after primary cleft repair. It is easy to harvest as a local tissue with a low learning curve. The epithelialization rate is faster than conventional methods with minimal complication rates.

Depression and Antidepressants During Pregnancy: Craniofacial Defects Due to Stem/Progenitor Cell Deregulation Mediated by Serotonin.

Depression is a common and debilitating mood disorder that increases in prevalence during pregnancy. Worldwide, 7 to 12% of pregnant women experience depression, in which the associated risk factors include socio-demographic, psychological, and socioeconomic variables. Maternal depression could have psychological, anatomical, and physiological consequences in the newborn. Depression has been related to a downregulation in serotonin levels in the brain. Accordingly, the most commonly prescribed pharmacotherapy is based on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which increase local serotonin concentration. Even though the use of SSRIs has few adverse effects compared with other antidepressants, altering serotonin levels has been associated with the advent of anatomical and physiological changes in utero, leading to defects in craniofacial development, including craniosynostosis, cleft palate, and dental defects. Migration and proliferation of neural crest cells, which contribute to the formation of bone, cartilage, palate, teeth, and salivary glands in the craniofacial region, are regulated by serotonin. Specifically, craniofacial progenitor cells are affected by serotonin levels, producing a misbalance between their proliferation and differentiation. Thus, it is possible to hypothesize that craniofacial development will be affected by the changes in serotonin levels, happening during maternal depression or after the use of SSRIs, which cross the placental barrier, increasing the risk of craniofacial defects. In this review, we provide a synthesis of the current research on depression and the use of SSRI during pregnancy, and how this could be related to craniofacial defects using an interdisciplinary perspective integrating psychological, clinical, and developmental biology perspectives. We discuss the mechanisms by which serotonin could influence craniofacial development and stem/progenitor cells, proposing some transcription factors as mediators of serotonin signaling, and craniofacial stem/progenitor cell biology. We finally highlight the importance of non-pharmacological therapies for depression on fertile and pregnant women, and provide an individual analysis of the risk–benefit balance for the use of antidepressants during pregnancy

Prevalence of cleft lip and/or cleft palate in Guangdong province, China, 2015–2018: a spatio-temporal descriptive analysis

ObjectivesThis study aimed to investigate the temporal and spatial characteristics of cleft lip and/or palate based on a large-scale birth defect monitoring database.MethodsData on perinatal infants and children with cleft...

Two-piece hollow bulb obturator after partial maxillectomy on ameloblastoma case

Ameloblastoma often occurs in the mandibular area, but 15 - 20% of ameloblastoma originates from the maxilla. Ameloblastoma lesions in the maxilla can be treated with partial maxillectomy, which produces defects that alter speech, swallowing function, and aesthetic. The role of prosthodontics is needed to rehabilitate the patient’s condition by fabricating an obturator that helps reduce the morbidity of patients. The main problem with the rehabilitation of substantial defects in the maxilla is the weight of the prosthesis, resulting in non-retentive prosthesis. The purpose of this case report was to evaluate the post-treatment of the partial maxillectomy in the case of ameloblastoma with the hollow bulb to rehabilitate the functions of mastication, phonetics, swallowing function, and aesthetic functions.This case report discussed the treatment of a 58-year-old female who undergone partial maxillectomy, has experienced tooth loss in 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 21, 22, and 23, and had an anterior palate defect due to mass retrieval under the Aramany class VI classification. The chosen treatment was the fabrication of an obturator with the twopiece hollow bulbmade of acrylic resin. The results of the obturator insertion are good retention, stabilization,occlusion, aesthetics, clear phonetic, and the increasing patient’s confidence. The follow-up control after one week showed good retention, stabilization, occlusion, aesthetics, even clearer pronunciation and a good adaptation from the patient. This case report concludes that the two-piece hollow bulb acrylic resin obturator in ameloblastoma case can rehabilitate the maxillary defect post partial maxillectomy to restore masticatory, phonetic, swallowing and aesthetic functions.

Management of severe maxillary discrepancy in unilateral cleft lip and palate: six year follow up in a patient with tongue graft

<p class="abstract">The purpose of this original case study was to present the efficiency of combined orthodontic and distraction osteogenesis (DO) in severe maxillary hypoplasia along with importance of tongue graft for closure of large residual palatal defect. DO has been successfully chosen in lengthening and widening the maxilla transversely to relieve anterior dental crowding and transverse discrepancies between the dental arches. A UCLP (unilateral cleft lip and palate), 15 year old male with the chief complaint of esthetic and functional problems because of skeletal class III malocclusion with anterior crossbite and severe midline shift was taken up for this modality of treatment. Considering the severity of malocclusion, combined orthodontic and DO treatment was considered adequate which was likely less invasive and equally stable procedure. RED (rigid external distractor) was used for distraction after initial alignment followed by closure of residual large palatal defect with tongue graft. Result obtained was esthetically good with acceptable occlusion considering the severity with pleasing soft tissue profile. The review was done after six year which showed remarkable skeletal stability with no dehiscence of tongue graft in palate area. The combined use of DO and orthodontic correction in ULCP case had substantial skeletal stability, improving patient esthetic and self-esteem.</p>

In-frame deletion of SPECC1L microtubule association domain results in gain-of-function phenotypes affecting embryonic tissue movement and fusion events.

Patients with autosomal dominant SPECC1L variants show syndromic malformations, including hypertelorism, cleft palate and omphalocele. These SPECC1L variants largely cluster in the second coiled-coil domain (CCD2), which facilitates association with microtubules. To study SPECC1L function in mice, we first generated a null allele (Specc1lΔEx4) lacking the entire SPECC1L protein. Homozygous mutants for these truncations died perinatally without cleft palate or omphalocele. Given the clustering of human variants in CCD2, we hypothesized that targeted perturbation of CCD2 may be required. Indeed, homozygotes for in-frame deletions involving CCD2 (Specc1lΔCCD2) resulted in exencephaly, cleft palate and ventral body wall closure defects (omphalocele). Interestingly, exencephaly and cleft palate were never observed in the same embryo. Further examination revealed a narrower oral cavity in exencephalic embryos, which allowed palatal shelves to elevate and fuse despite their defect. In the cell, wild-type SPECC1L was evenly distributed throughout the cytoplasm and colocalized with both microtubules and filamentous actin. In contrast, mutant SPECC1L-ΔCCD2 protein showed abnormal perinuclear accumulation with diminished overlap with microtubules, indicating that SPECC1L used microtubule association for trafficking in the cell. The perinuclear accumulation in the mutant also resulted in abnormally increased actin and non-muscle myosin II bundles dislocated to the cell periphery. Disrupted actomyosin cytoskeletal organization in SPECC1L CCD2 mutants would affect cell alignment and coordinated movement during neural tube, palate and ventral body wall closure. Thus, we show that perturbation of CCD2 in the context of full SPECC1L protein affects tissue fusion dynamics, indicating that human SPECC1L CCD2 variants are gain-of-function.

Changes in Quality of Life After Secondary Closure of Palatal Defects: Prosthetic Obturation Versus Surgical Reconstruction.

The closure of palatal defects after tumor resection or irradiation is performed with either a prosthesis or autogenous tissue; however, there are no clear criteria regarding selection of the method. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the real-world situation and problems of palatal closure using prostheses, and examined patient opinion on how palatal closure using autogenous tissue improved their postoperative quality of life (QOL). In 5 patients whose palatal defects resulted from treatment for head and neck cancer and were closed with a prosthesis, the palate was closed secondarily with autogenous tissue; a questionnaire on daily life was administered pre- and post-operatively. Functional improvements in terms of speech and eating were achieved in all and in 4 of 5 cases, respectively. In all cases, the QOL was better for palatal closure with autogenous tissue than with the prosthesis. As postoperative QOL was considered to be better when reconstructing the palate with autogenous tissue than with the prosthesis, we recommend to actively select autogenous tissue for palate reconstruction.

Presurgical nasoalveolar molding: an advantageous adjunctive neonatal therapy for cleft lip and palate defects in 2 clinical cases

The most common congenital craniofacial anomalies are labial-alveolo-palatal clefts. Infants with these deformities may have problems and limitations with breathing, feeding, speaking, hearing, as well as psychological problems. The treatment protocol for these patients is carried out using an interdisciplinary approach. Thus, in addition to surgical reconstruction, presurgical neonatal orthopedics have shown considerable advantages in the treatment of such malformations. Recently, presurgical nasoalveolar molding (PNAM) has been introduced to prevent nasal deformities, and to obtain a satisfactory surgical result and good psychological reintegration. This article describes, through 2 clinical cases, the technique of preparation of PNAMs, their surgical and clinical advantages, as well as the role of a multidisciplinary approach in effectively managing disorders related to labio-alveolo-palatal clefts.

Clinical delineation, sex differences, and genotype–phenotype correlation in pathogenic KDM6A variants causing X-linked Kabuki syndrome type 2

PurposeThe variant spectrum and the phenotype of X-linked Kabuki syndrome type 2 (KS2) are poorly understood. MethodsGenetic and clinical details of new and published individuals with pathogenic KDM6A variants were compiled and analyzed. ResultsSixty-one distinct pathogenic KDM6A variants (50 truncating, 11 missense) from 80 patients (34 males, 46 females) were identified. Missense variants clustered in the TRP 2, 3, 7 and Jmj-C domains. Truncating variants were significantly more likely to be de novo. Thirteen individuals had maternally inherited variants and one had a paternally inherited variant. Neonatal feeding difficulties, hypoglycemia, postnatal growth retardation, poor weight gain, motor delay, intellectual disability (ID), microcephaly, congenital heart anomalies, palate defects, renal malformations, strabismus, hearing loss, recurrent infections, hyperinsulinism, seizures, joint hypermobility, and gastroesophageal reflux were frequent clinical findings. Facial features of over a third of patients were not typical for KS. Males were significantly more likely to be born prematurely, have shorter stature, and severe developmental delay/ID. ConclusionWe expand the KDM6A variant spectrum and delineate the KS2 phenotype. We demonstrate that the variability of the KS2 phenotypic depends on sex and the variant type. We also highlight the overlaps and differences between the phenotypes of KS2 and KS1.

Knowledge and practice of feeding plate obturators among medical doctors in Kanti children’s hospital

Introduction: Cleft lip and cleft palate (CLCP) affects several systems and functions of the child and result in social and psychological problems.Therefore early repair of CLCP is imperative. Every cleft center follows its own surgical treatment protocol. Before closure of palatal defects, babies with cleft palate have great difficulty in feeding. To overcome this feeding difficulties, use of special bottles, nipples, initial palatal obturator therapy are used. The first exposure of those children are primarily the medical doctors including pediatricians from where they are generally referred to the concerned speciality for repair of CLCP. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and practice of orofacial clefts and feeding plate obturator among medical doctors working in Kanti Children’s Hospital (KCH). Method: This was a questionnaire based survey among medical doctors working in KCH. The pretested questionnaire with 7 questions each on the knowledge and practice of feeding plate obturator was distributed among the medical doctors and data was collected. The data collected were subjected to statistical analysis using frequency of responses and percentages. Results: Of the total 57 study participants, 32 (56.1%) were males and 25 (43.9%) were females. Majority i.e. 61.4% belonged to 31-40 years age group. 91.2% study participants faced the cleft lip/ palate related feeding difficulties 0-5 times/month while 5 (8.8%) faced this condition 6-10 times/ month. Majority of the infants who were less than 28 days (43.9%) attended the OPD due to difficultyin feeding/ swallowing (57.9%) followed by regurgitation/ aspiration (22.8%). 49.1% of the participants thought feeding plate oburator as the best way to feed a cleft patient on discharge from hospital. In their clinical practice, three fourth of paticipants (70.2%) had never seen a patient with feeding plate obturator, half of the participants (50.9%) didn’t advise for feeding plate obturator for patients withcleft palate and 89.5% were not aware of the replacement of feeding plate obturator. Conclusion: There is low exposure regarding the feeding plate obturator among medical doctors in KCH which needs to be reinforced through meaningful continuing education and training programs.