This glossary is here for you to use if there is a term you see or your doctor uses that you don't recognize. All material on this page taken From The Cleft Palate Story by Samuel Berkowitz, DDS, MS, FICD - Used with permission. 
A Allergic rhinitis - Swelling of the membrane in the nasal chamber due to allergic reactions; the condition may obstruct breathing Alveolar ridge - The bony arches of the maxilla (upper jaw) and mandible (lower jaw) that contain the teeth Alveolus The bony area that supports the teeth Alveolus - The bony area that supports the teeth Anomaly - Irregularity Anterior - front Appliance, dental - A device worn In the mouth to pro vide a dental benefit Articulation - The process of forming and expressing speech sounds Articulation disorder - The omission or ineffective expression of speech sounds Articulation test - A test that evaluates how an individual's speech sounds are formed Atelectasis - Collapse of eardrum, which separates the outer ear from the middle ear chamber Atresia - The lack of closure of a normal body orifice or passage Audiogram - A standard graph that records the results of hearing sensitivity testing Audlologic evaluation - A variety of procedures used to measure hearing sensitivity Audiologist - A person holding a degree and certification In audiology (the science of hearing), who identifies, measures, and rehabilitates people with hearing Impairments Audiology - The study of hearing and hearing disorders Audiometer - An electronic instrument designed to measure hearing sensitivity 
B Bifid uvula - Uvula muscle divided into two parts Bilateral - Having two sides, or pertaining to both sides Bone graft - A transplant or movement of bone from one site to another Braces - Orthodontic appliance attached to the teeth used to move them into a better position Bridge - Fixed or removable appliance used to replace missing teeth and to help maintain the corrected dental arch form Buccal - Pertaining to the cheek Buccal segments of maxilla - The side portions of the upper jaw that are adjacent to the cheeks
C Cephalometric tracing - Anatomic drawings made from x-ray films of the head Cephalometric analysis - Head measurements made from the anatomic drawings of the head Cineradiography - Motion picture recording of the lip, tongue, soft palate. and lower jaw activity; it is often used to evaluate the anatomic movements involved in speech Cleft - Split or divided; refers to muscle, skin, or bone Bilateral cleft: affecting both sides Unilateral cleft: affecting only one side
Cleft lip - Congenital deformity of the upper lip that varies from a notching to a complete division of the lip; any degree of clefting can exist Cleft palate - Spilt in the middle of the palate that may extend through the uvula, soft palate, and into the hard palate; the lip may or may not be involved in the cleft Cleft palate craniofacial team - Group of professionals involved in the care and treatment of patients having cleft palate and other craniofacial malformations; consists of representatives from some of the following specialties: pediatrics, plastic surgery, otolaryngology, audiology, speech pathology, pedodontics, psychiatry, orthodontics, prosthodontics, psychology, social service, nursing, radiology, genetics, and oral surgery Columella - The central lower portion of the nose that divides the nostrils Communication disorder - Any Interference with oneÕs ability to comprehend or express ideas, experiences, knowledge, and feelings Comprehension - Knowledge or understanding of spoken and written information Congenital - A disease, deformity, or deficiency exIsting at birth Craniofacial - Involving the cranium, or part of the skull that encloses the brain, and the face Crossblte occlusion - Condition in which the upper teeth are positioned behind the lower teeth, Instead of in the normal position
D Deciduous teeth - The first teeth, known as baby or primary teeth, which are eventually replaced by permanent teeth Denasality - A lack of nasal quality of the voice; there is a lack of nasal resonance for the sounds m, n, and ng due to insufficient nasal air flow Dental arch - The curved structure of the upper and lower jaws formed by the teeth In their normal position on the alveolar ridges Dental crown - Cover for a tooth that Is made by a dentist
E Ear -The organ of hearing, which is divided into three parts: the outer, middle, and inner ear Ear canal - The external canal leading from the outer ear to the eardrum (tympanic membrane) Eardrum - Tympanic membrane; it vibrates and transmits sound from the canal to the middle ear Effusion - Accumulation of fluid In the middle ear E.N.T. - Common medical abbreviation for ear, nose, and throatÓ Erupt, eruption - The emergence of a tooth through the gums and its supporting bone Eustachian tube - The air duct that connects the nasopharynx (located In the back of the throat and above the hard Ebony] palate) with the middle ear; it is usually closed at one end, but opens with yawning and swallow ing; It allows ventilation of the middle ear cavity and equalization of pressure on both sides of the eardrum Evaluation - Assessment Expander - Appliance used to widen the upper dental arch Extraction - Removal (In this case, of teeth)
F Fistula - Abnormal opening from the mouth to the nasal cavity remaining after surgical closure of the original cleft
G Genetics - The science of heredity Gingiva - Gums
H Hard palate - The bony portion of the roof of the mouth Hare lip - Outdated term for cleft lip Hearing impairment - A loss in hearing, ranging from mild to complete Heredity - Characteristics and traits genetically derived from oneÕs ancestors Hypernasality - Excessive nasal resonance during speech due to an excess of air flow into the nasal chamber Hyponasality - Lack of nasal resonance during speech due to a marked decrease in air flow
I Impedance audiometry - Physiologic hearing test used to measure air pressure in the middle ear cavity and the ability of the eardrum to function normally Incidence - Frequency of occurrence Incisor - A tooth that is located in the front of the mouth between the cuspids Inferior - Lower Inner ear - The Internal portion of the ear that contains the sensory end organs used for hearing and balance Intermaxillary fixation - The use of elastics and/or wires to stabilize the upper to lower arches after surgery to one or both jaws
L Language disorder or impairment - Difficulty with language comprehension or expression; an interference with the ability to communicate effectively Larynx - The upper part of the windpipe that contains the vocal chords Lateral - Relating to the side LoganÕs bow - An appliance used to keep the lips together before lip surgery to reduce tension at the suture site
M Malocclusion - A deviation from normal occlusion (the way the teeth should meet), or an incorrect alignment or position of the upper with the lower teeth; any number of teeth may be involved Mandible - U-shaped bone forming the lower jaw Mandibular - Relating to the mandible or lower jaw Maxilla - The bone forming the upper jaw Maxillary - Relating to the maxilla or upper jaw Maxillary orthopedics - The movement of palatal segments by the use of appliances Medial - In, near, or positioned toward the middle Micrognathia - A condition characterized by abnormal smallness of the jaw Middle ear - Portion of the ear containing the three small bones of the ossicular chain that transfers sound from the eardrum to the inner ear; it Is attached to the tympanic membrane on one end and the oval window at the other end Mucoperiosteunt - Connective tissue (periosteum) that has a mucous surface that contacts bone on one side Mucosa - The outer layer of the soft tissue lining that covers the bone (in this case, In the mouth) Multifactorial - Having many factors or causes Myringotomy - A minor surgical procedure In which a small slit is made in the eardrum, allowing fluid to drain from the middle ear; It may or may not involve placement of ventilating tubes
N Nasal - Pertaining to the nose or nasal cavity Nasal alae - The wings of the nostrils Nasal cavity - Passageway from the nostrils to the back of the throat Nasal chamber - The enclosed space within the nose Nasal emission or nasal escape The flow of air through the nose, usually Indicative of an incomplete seal between the cavities of the mouth and the nose Nasopharyngoscope - A lighted telescopic instrument used for examining the nasal passages In the back of the throat; it Is also useful in assessing velopharyngeal closure Nasopharynx - The area in the back of the throat, at and above the soft palate
O Obturator - A plastic (acrylic) appliance, usually removable, used to close a cleft in the hard palate: It is some times used to aid in feeding Occlude - To block Occlusion - Relationship between the upper and lower teeth when they are in contact; it refers to the alignment of teeth as well as the relationship of the dental arches Oral cavity - The mouth, whose boundaries are the lips and teeth In the front and the soft palate in the rear Orofacial - Relating to the mouth and face Oropharynx - The area of the pharynx below the soft palate and above the esophagus and continuous with the mouth Orthodontics - The specialty of dentistry concerned with the correction and prevention of irregularities and malocclusion of the teeth and jaws Orthognathic - Dealing with the cause and treatment of malposition of the jaw bones Orthopedics - The movement of bone by means of appliances rather than surgery Ossicles - Three bones in the middle ear that transfer energy from sound waves in the tympanic membrane Into the inner ear, where hearing sensors are located Otitis media - Inflammation of the middle ear, where thick mucous fluid accumulates: this is a special problem for Infants with cleft palates Otolaryngologist - Physician specializing In the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the ear and larynx; commonly referred to as an ear, nose, and throat (E.N.T.) specialist Otoscope - An instrument used for visual examination of the external ear and eardrum Overbite - The distance of the upper to lower teeth in the vertical dimension Overjet - The distance between the upper and lower teeth in the horizontal dimension
P Palatal insufficiency - Velophaiyngeal insufficiency; the inability to control air flow through the nose and mouth (too much air enters the nose) Palatal lift appliance - A removable plastic appliance with an extension reaching backward that lifts the soft palate Palate - The roof of the mouth, including the front portion or hard palate, and the rear portion or soft palate (velum) Pediatrician - Physician specializing in pediatrics, the area of medicine dealing with the health and diseases of children and adolescents Pediatric dentist - A dentist specializing in dental care for children and adolescents Pedodontics - Pediatric dentistry: the specialty of dentistry concerned with the care of children's and adolescent's teeth Periosteum - Connective tissue layer that covers bones Pharyngeal - Relating to the pharynx, the back of the throat Pharyngeal flap - A surgical procedure that aids in velopharyngeal closure; a flap of skin (mucosa) taken from the back of the throat and attached to the soft palate Is used to close most of the openings between the oropharynx and nasopharynx during swallowing and speech Pharynx - Back of the throat Posterior - Back Premaxila - The front part of the upper jaw containing the front teeth (the incisors): In children with clefts to the alveolus the number of incisor teeth is highly variable Prolabium - The central part of the lip attached to the premaxilla Prosthesis - A device used to replace a missing body part, in this case teeth to maintain the upper jaw arch form and/or to aid speech function
R Retrognathic - Lower or upper jaw behind its normal position as related to the opposing jaw and other cranio facial structures Rigid fixation - The use of metal plates and/or screws to stabilize bone manipulated by surgery
S Septum, nasal - Dividing wall or partition between the two nasal cavities SimonartÕs band - Bands of soft tissue (skin and muscle) that bridge a cleft of the lip Sphincter pharyngoplasty - A surgical procedure used to channel the flow of air through the mouth by reducing the nasopharyngeal opening Superior - Upper
T Teratogen - Something causing physical defects In the developing embryo Tympanic membrane - Eardrum
U Unilateral - One-sided Uvula - Muscle extension on the soft palate that can be seen as fleshy lobe in the midline of the throat; it is thought to aid In air-flow control
V Velopharyngeal - Pertaining to the soft palate and pharynx Velopharyngeal incompetence - Inadequate velopharyngeal closure resulting In hypernasality (excessive flow of air through the nose); also called Velopharyngeal insuffIciency Velum - The soft palate Vomer (adj., vomerine) - The bony part of the nasal partition that separates the nose into right and left halves; it is attached to the hard palate
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