Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate Cleft Palate and Cleft Lip
Introduction Cleft lip and cleft palate are facial and oral
malformations that occur very early in pregnancy, while the baby
is developing inside its mother. Clefting results when there is
not enough tissue in the mouth or lip area, and the tissue that
is available does not join together properly. A cleft lip is a
physical split or separation of the two sides of the upper lip
and appears as a narrow opening or gap in the skin of the upper
lip. This separation often extends beyond the base of the nose
and includes the bones of the upper jaw and/or upper gum. A
cleft palate is a split or opening in the roof of the mouth. A
cleft palate can involve the hard palate (the bony front portion
of the roof of the mouth), and/or the soft palate (the soft back
portion of the roof of the mouth). Cleft lip and cleft palate
can occur on one or both sides of the mouth. Because the lip and
the palate develop separately, it is possible to have a cleft
lip without a cleft pa