Intermaxillary segment

Intermaxillary segment is a part of the body that connects the two parts of our upper jawbone. You might have heard from your dentist that you have two jaws - the upper one and the lower one. The intermaxillary segment is the part of the upper jaw that connects the two top front teeth.

When a baby is born, their mouth and face gradually grow and develop. Sometimes, the bones and tissues in the developing upper jaw do not join together properly, and that's when a cleft lip or cleft palate can happen.

The intermaxillary segment is especially important for babies born with a cleft, because it's the part that helps connect the two sides of the upper jaw together during surgery. Doctors and surgeons carefully manipulate and shift the intermaxillary segment in order to help close the gap in the patient's mouth.

Overall, the intermaxillary segment is a small but very important part of our face and mouth that helps us eat, speak, and smile.