Are you looking for surgeons specializing in cleft alveolar bone graft surgery in India? Dr. Sunil Richardson explains the process in detail.

1. Cleft lip or palate is a congenital malformation of the facial bones,
especially the maxillofacial and alveolar structures. Research says that
one in every thousand children born in India has this congenital
anomaly in a year. Read on to learn more about cleft alveolar bone
graft surgery in India.
WHAT IS AN ALVEOLAR CLEFT?
The alveolus is the part of the jaw bone, both in the upper and lower
jaw, and is vital for the proper formation of the jaws, lips, and the area
around the mouth. Sometimes in newborns, a cleft or gap is formed in
the upper gum line called alveolar cleft. It is often accompanied by a
cleft lip and/or cleft palate. It must be repaired to allow the permanent
teeth to descend and support the nose.

2. WHAT IS THE ALVEOLAR CLEFT REPAIR TECHNIQUE?
An alveolar cleft repair technique is carried out by an oral and
maxillofacial surgeon or plastic surgeon. This is not a one-time
procedure but is done in a phased manner during a child’s early years.
Sometimes, the surgery can be performed on newborns, i.e., as soon as

3. the anomaly is detected. However, cleft alveolar bone graft surgery in
India is generally performed on children between 9-12 years of
age. Alveolar bone graft surgery is usually carried out between 9-12
years. An orthodontist initially treats the patient, correcting a few
aspects before subjecting the patient to surgery. Some of the steps
involved in the procedure include:
1. Alignment of arches in preparation for the alveolar bone graft.
2. Stabilizing the arches for functionality.
3. Arch expansion
4. Alignment of the existing teeth.
5. Increasing the cleft width prepares it to receive the graft.
For a child born with an alveolar cleft defect, an orthodontist’s
supervision and close monitoring are of utmost importance until the
cleft alveolar bone graft surgeon takes up the ABG surgery.
CLEFT ALVEOLAR BONE GRAFT COST IN INDIA
A typical cleft alveolar bone graft surgery in India could cost around INR
10,000 per graft. However, the cost depends entirely on the intensity of
the deformity and the volume of grafting that it might require to repair
the defect. Cost also varies marginally across hospitals and cities.
PROCEDURE AND POST-OP CARE

4. The operation is divided into two stages. Firstly, the grafted bone is
extracted, generally from your child’s hip, and placed in the cleft. A
local anesthetic is administered into the area during the procedure, and
a dressing is applied to the skin. After a few weeks, the excised bone
will have grown back.
The second stage of the procedure involves repairing the alveolar cleft.
The surgeon will reveal the cleft by creating a cut in the gum. They will
next insert the grafted bone into the cleft. The fistula will be sewn
closed, and the surgeon will finish by stitching the gum over the bone
transplant to seal it, making the area watertight. Again, dissolvable
stitches are used for sewing.

5. Cleft alveolar bone grafting in India has become highly advanced over
the years, with children being moved to post-operative care soon after
the procedure and typically discharged in a day or two. Caregivers need
to take care of the child’s diet and feed only soft food over the two
weeks post-surgery, giving enough time for the graft to fix and heal
completely.
The Richardsons Hospital, Nagercoil, with its state-of-the-art
infrastructure and care facilities, is a leading hospital for cleft alveolar
bone graft surgery in India. Under the guidance of India’s top plastic
surgeon, Dr. Sunil Richardson, your child is assured of getting a wholly
successful and fully functional transformation.