Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery
Comprehensive surgical care for patients with cleft lip and palate, from primary infant repair through adolescent jaw and nasal reconstruction, coordinated with Shriners Children’s craniofacial team.
Cleft Surgery Overview
Dr. Azari provides surgical care for patients with cleft lip and palate, from infancy through skeletal maturity. Treatment is planned in coordination with the craniofacial team, orthodontists, and speech pathologists involved in each patient’s long-term care.
Craniofacial Team Care
At Shriners Children’s, Dr. Azari works alongside Dr. Thompson and Dr. Howell (plastic surgery) on primary cleft lip and palate repair, sharing surgical planning so every patient receives coordinated, team-based care at each stage of growth.
Dr. Azari is a team lead for the cleft lip and palate team at Shriners Children’s Portland, where he has served on the craniofacial team since 2012.
Planning and treatment details
Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery details
Minimally Invasive Alveolar Bone Grafting
Grafting to close the alveolar cleft and support future tooth eruption and orthodontic movement, performed through a minimally invasive approach that limits scarring and speeds healing.
Cleft Orthognathic Surgery
Jaw repositioning to correct the midface and bite relationships that develop with cleft-affected growth, coordinated closely with orthodontic treatment for a stable, functional result.
Cleft Rhinoplasty and Nasal Revision
Reshaping the nasal tip, septum, and airway to correct the characteristic cleft nasal deformity, improving both breathing and facial appearance once facial growth is complete.
Primary Lip and Palate Repair
At Shriners Children’s, Dr. Azari performs primary cleft lip and palate repair alongside Dr. Thompson and Dr. Howell (plastic surgery), sharing surgical planning so infants receive coordinated, team-based repair timed to established craniofacial protocols.
Coordinated Craniofacial Team Care
Every stage of cleft care, from infant repair through adolescent jaw and nasal surgery, is planned with the orthodontists, speech pathologists, and plastic surgeons following each patient, so timing and technique stay coordinated as the child grows.
What to expect
Coordinated care through every stage of growth
Cleft care spans infancy through adolescence. We keep your family informed at every visit and coordinated with your craniofacial team.
Infant repair timing
Primary lip and palate repair is scheduled according to established craniofacial protocols, in step with your child’s growth and feeding needs.
Team-based planning
Surgical timing is coordinated with your orthodontist, speech pathologist, and the Shriners Children’s craniofacial team throughout treatment.
Guided recovery
Post-op instructions cover feeding, comfort, and wound care, with clear guidance on when to reach out between visits.