Feeding Obturator for a 3 Day Old Neonate with Cleft Lip and Palate: A Clinical Report

Clefts of lip and palate are the most common congenital deformities involving the orofacial region Feeding problems are often associated with cleft anomalies due to communication between oral cavity and nasal cavity, which make it difficult for the infant to maintain adequate nutrition. The feeding obturator restores the separation between the oral and nasal cavities. It creates a rigid platform toward which the baby can press the nipple and extract milk. It also normalizes the tongue position resulting in better speech, aids in better esthetics, reduces feeding time, provides positive psychological impact on the parents and promotes neonatal weight gain which is important in preparing the baby for corrective surgery. This clinical report describes a single visit technique for fabrication of feeding obturator for a 3 day old neonate born with cleft lip and palate.