Health encyclopaedia

Health encyclopaedia - Alphabetical Topic List

Cleft lip and palate

Cleft lip and palate is a developmental problem in babies where the upper lip or palate (roof of the mouth) is not correctly joined, leading to a gap in either the palate or lip and palate.        

There are a number of other situations where cleft lip and palate occurs in association with other birth defects.   These are more common in cases where cleft palate occurs without cleft lip, and it is important that any cleft palate baby is thoroughly examined for other birth defects.

A cleft lip can range from a simple notch in the upper lip to a complete gap in the lip running into the floor of the nostril.   The upper gum may also be involved. This may occur on just one side (unilateral cleft) or both sides (bilateral cleft). 

Cleft palate may involve only the soft palate at the back of the mouth or may run forwards through the bone of the hard palate.   As with the lip one or both sides may be affected. Cleft lip and palate or cleft palate occurs in around 1 in 700 babies in the UK.   Around 70% of babies with cleft lips also have cleft palates. Males are more commonly affected than females.

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• Treatment
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