Alaska Center For

Oral + Facial Surgery

Board Certified Surgeons | Minimally Invasive Procedures | Accredited Surgery and Anesthesia Center

Craniofacial and Cleft Surgical Specialists

As members of the Multidisciplinary Pediatric Craniofacial and Cleft Surgical Specialty Clinic at The Children’s Hospital at Providence (TCHAP), our surgeons help lead the only fellowship-trained Craniofacial and Cleft Team in the Alaska. Our dedicated pediatric knowledge and training background is a first in the State and our goal is to provide the highest level of care for Alaskan children, right here in Alaska.

Conditions We Treat:

Cleft Lip and Palate
Goldenhar Syndrome
Hemifacial Microsomia
Non-syndromic craniosynostosis
Syndromic Craniosynostosis Conditions (Crouzon, Apert, Pfeiffer)
Robin Sequence
Plagiocephaly
Skeletal Jaw Abnormality
Pediatric Craniofacial Trauma
Pediatric Head and Neck Infection
Vascular Anomalies
Velopharyngeal Insufficiency
Other Less Common Craniofacial Anomalies

Treatments And Services:

Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery
Craniosynostosis Surgery
Surgery to Enlarge or Reposition the Midface, Jaws, Skull
Distraction Osteogenesis
Pediatric Craniofacial Trauma Reconstruction
Orbital Hypertelorism Repair
Mandibular distraction for Urgent Neonatal Airway Compromise
Choanal Atresia Repair
Pediatric Airway Emergency (tracheotomy) and Ex Utero Intrapartum Treatment (EXIT Procedure)
Pediatric Facial Tumor/Pathology

Find Incomparable Cleft Surgery At AOFS

Dr. Nordstrom is unique in that he operates as a staff surgeon at The Alaska Native Medical Center, and also as a local private practice surgeon. Having representation within both of these surgery communities allows him the broadest exposure to patients with cleft lip and/or palate available within Alaska. Dr. Nordstrom believes in a team approach to the treatment of patients with these conditions, and continuity of care. Patients and families have often developed surgical fatigue, having been through multiple surgeries and revisions. For that reason, AOFS places an emphasis on patient-care and coordination to have surgeries performed not only correctly, but also at the optimal time for the best possible outcome with the least number of surgeries.

Cleft Lip and Palate Information

Cleft lip and cleft palate occur when a part of the lip or palate (roof of the mouth) does not form properly, leaving a gap or cleft in the individual. These birth concerns happen in early pregnancy and a child can have both issues or just one.

Cleft Lip

When a child presents with cleft lip, the upper lip isn’t fully formed, which not only affects how the lip works, but it can also impact basic functions such as chewing and eating.

Partial or incomplete cleft lip – The cleft only affects the lip.
Complete cleft lip – Affects both the nose and lip.
Unilateral cleft lip – Affects one side of the lip.
Bilateral cleft lip – Affects both sides of the upper lip.

Cleft Palate

A cleft palate leaves a gap in the child’s mouth making eating, breathing, and speech development difficult. This is a health concern as the muscles needed to close off the nose and mouth, haven’t fully formed.

In some cleft palate cases there is what is known as a submucous cleft palate — this is where there is still a gap, but it is covered in a thin tissue or mucous membrane. This makes it more difficult to identify the cleft palate, yet it affects speech in the same way a traditional cleft palate will.

How Common is a Cleft Lip or Cleft palate?

Both a cleft lip and palate are some of the most widely occurring birth defects in the US.

Cleft lip – One in every 1,500 newborns.
Cleft palate – One in every 2,000 newborns.