Lavanya was married at the age of 15 years and gave birth a year later. The baby was born with unilateral cleft lip and palate.
Lavanya with her baby and mother
Unaware of treatment possibilities, they did not seek help in the first month. After the first month they heard of a treatment facility for cleft lip and palate at the St. John’s Medical College and Hospital and approached Dr.Vijay Joseph to take care of their child.
Pretreatment
The deformity was very large. Orthodontist Dr. Sarojini Joseph fitted her with an arch re-moulding appliance in order to reduce the gap of the cleft lip. This would ensure a superior surgical result.
Arch moulding and re-positioning appliance
Lip correction surgery was performed after three months of orthodontic treatment. The entire treatment process, both orthodontic and surgical, was subsidised by New Faces Charitable Trust.
Post treatment:Â extra-oral frontal view
Baby with her family after surgery