Palatoplasty is a surgical procedure to repair a cleft palate, in which the surgeon reconstructs the tissues of the palate (hard and/or soft palate) to restore an intact separation between the oral and nasal cavities. The goal of this surgery is to create an anatomically and functionally intact palate that allows for normal feeding and speech. Palatoplasty typically involves repositioning and suturing together the muscles of the soft palate and closing the cleft in the hard palate; it is often performed in infancy (around 9–12 months of age) to maximize speech outcomes before significant speech development occurs. Successfully repairing the palate provides the physical ability for velopharyngeal closure during speech, which is critical for producing oral consonants and achieving normal resonance.
Ann W. Kummer, Cleft Palate & Craniofacial Anomalies: Effects on Speech and Resonance, 4th ed. (Clifton Park, NY: Cengage, 2020).
Oluwaseun A. Adetayo et al., “Timing of Palatoplasty and Speech,” in Comprehensive Cleft Care, 2nd ed., eds. Joseph E. Losee and Richard E. Kirschner (Stuttgart: Thieme, 2016).
