Cleft -related Terminology

Glossary of Terms. Term - Alveolar - Definition - That part of the jaw which has the teeth in it. Term - Anatomy - Definition - The form, structure, size and shape of the parts of the body. Term - Anterior - Definition - Front. Term - Antrum - Definition - Large nasal sinus or spaces in maxilla or upper jaw. Function not really understood. Term - Aural - Definition - To do with the ears. Term - Bilateral cleft - Definition - Cleft on both sides of the lip or palate. Term - Bone graft - Definition - Insertion of bone into the area of a cleft lip or palate. Term - Cleft - Definition - Failure of joining of parts. Term - Columell - Definition - Skin between the nostrils. Term - Congenital - Definition - Something which is present at birth. Term - Fistula - Definition - Hole. Term - Eustachian tube - Definition - The canal connecting the throat with the middle ear. Term - Genetic - Definition - To do with inheritance. Term - Grommet - Definition - Tiny drainage tube for the ear drum. Term - Hard palate - Definition - The roof of the mouth under which is bone and separates the mouth from the nose. Term - Hypernasality - Definition - Excess amount of air escaping through the nose during speech. Term - Hypertelopism - Definition - Part of the body being wider apart than normal. Such as the eyes. Term - Lateral - Definition - Side. Term - Mandible - Definition - Lower jaw. Term - Maxilla - Definition - Upper jaw. Term - Micrognathia - Definition - Small size of mandible. Term - Nasal - Definition - To do with the nose. Term - Nasendoscopy - Definition - A test using a small camera to record how the soft palate is working. Term - Occlusal - Definition - To do with the way teeth meet together. Term - Ophthalmic - Definition - To do with the eyes. Term - Oral - Definition - To do with the mouth. Term - Orthodontics - Definition - Straightening teeth. Term - Orthognathic surgery - Definition - (Jaw) surgery to move forward the whole of the upper jaw, or to move the mandible (the lower jaw). Term - Otitis Media - Definition - An infection or inflammation of the middle ear. Term - Otolaryngologist - Definition - Ear, nose and throat surgeon. Term - Palate - Definition - Roof of the mouth. Term - Pharygnoplasty - Definition - Operation to correct hyper nasal speech. Term - Philtrum - Definition - Feature of the upper lip vertical depression from nose to lip. Term - Physiology - Definition - How the parts of the body function or work naturally. Term - Posterior - Definition - Back. Term - Premaxilla - See Primary Palate. Term - Primary palate - Definition - Premaxilla. Developing lip anterior hard palate and alveolus. Triangular area of the anterior hard palate. Formed between the 4th and 7th weeks of gestation. Term - Prolabium - Definition - The central part of the upper lip between the mouth and the nose. Term - Rhinoplasty - Definition - Nasal correction. Term - Secondary palate - Definition - Posterior part of the hard palate and soft palate. Formed between the 6th and 9th weeks of gestation. Term - Septum - Definition - A wall or structure dividing parts of the body.

Term - Sinus - Definition - Can be anatomical or normal such as nasal sinus. Term - Soft palate - Definition - The back of the roof of the mouth which moves when speaking and swallowing. Term - Submucous cleft - Definition - Although surface layers complete, muscle beneath not joined. Term - Supernumerary teeth - Definition - Tiny, extra teeth - denticles. Term - Syndrome - Definition - Group of congenital anomalies that appear together in newborn infants. Term - Unilateral cleft - Definition - One sided cleft. Term - Velopharyngeal closure - Definition - The closing of the nasal cavity from the oral cavity resulting in air used in speech being directed through the mouth rather than the nose. Term - Velopharyngeal Incompetence - Definition - Inability to achieve adequate velopharyngeal closure. This information is available from www.cleft.ie