If you are preparing your infant for a cleft lip and palate treatment, then we invite you to visit Dr. Deji Fashemo for nasoalveolar molding (NAM). Dr. Deji Fashemo performs this technique in order to improve the success of a cleft lip and palate surgery. Contact our orthodontist if you would like to learn more about nasoalveolar molding at our Dallas or Allen office.

Nasoalveolar molding is a technique used to improve the effectiveness of a cleft lip and palate surgery. Cleft lip and palate is a birth defect that creates an opening in the roof of the mouth and lip. This lack of tissue affects the facial appearance and impairs one’s ability to eat and speak well. A cleft lip and palate treatment is usually performed while the child is still young, and we offer NAM as a pre-surgical treatment option.

NAM essentially molds the nose, gum pads, and lips with the cleft. It works to expand these tissues before the surgery, helping make up for the missing tissues. We use NAM to not only improve the effectiveness of cleft lip and palate surgery, but to also reduce the need for future surgical treatments. We recommend performing the NAM technique when an infant is 2-6 weeks old because there is more hyaluronic acid in the body during this time, making it easier to mold tissues. Please contact our team today if you want to learn more about nasoalveolar molding.