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Home Cleft Lip and Palate
FlowerCleft Lip and Palate
Programs that treat this condition
Cleft Lip and Palate Program  
What are a cleft lip and a cleft palate?
Cleft lip and cleft palate are birth abnormalities of the mouth and lip. Cleft lip and cleft palate are the fourth most common birth defects in the US and affect about one in every 700 births annually. These abnormalities occur less frequently among African-Americans. Cleft lip and cleft palate occur early in pregnancy when the sides of the lip and the roof of the mouth do no fuse together as they should. A child can have cleft lip, cleft palate, or both. Cleft lip and cleft palate together are more common in boys. It is also important to know that most babies born with a cleft are otherwise healthy with no other birth abnormalities.

A cleft lip appears as a narrow opening in the skin of the upper lip that extends all the way to the base of the nose. A cleft palate is an opening between the roof of the mouth and the nasal cavity.

These clefts may occur as:

  • cleft lip and cleft palate together
  • cleft lip without a cleft palate
  • cleft palate without a cleft lip
Cleft lips and palates are the two most common forms of congenital (present at birth) facial deformities.
What does a cleft lip look like?
Unilateral Incomplete
Unilateral Incomplete
(Click to see larger image)
Unilateral Complete
(Click to see larger image)
Bilateral Complete
Bilateral Complete
(Click to see larger image)
What causes a cleft lip and/or cleft palate?
The precise cause is unknown. It is believed to be the result of a combination of genetic and environmental factors that affect the fetus during the early stage of pregnancy.

Environmental factors may include certain drugs, illnesses, and the use of alcohol or tobacco while a woman is pregnant.

What are the chances of having a child with a cleft lip or cleft palate?
The chances vary for each family. However, if a parent has a cleft lip or cleft palate or has a child with one, the chances of having another child with the condition increases. Both mothers and fathers can pass on a gene or genes that cause cleft lip or cleft palate.
What problems are associated with a cleft lip or cleft palate?
In addition to the cosmetic abnormalities, children with a cleft lip or palate may experience the following complications:

  • feeding difficulties
  • ear infections and hearing loss
  • speech and language delay
  • dental problems
How is a cleft lip or cleft palate diagnosed?
Because clefting causes specific visible symptoms, it can be detected through a prenatal ultrasound. If the clefting has not been detected prior to the baby's birth, it's identified immediately afterward.
How are a cleft lip and cleft palate treated?
Treatment for these abnormalities includes reconstructive surgery and a complete team approach to help with the multiple complications that can occur.

Members of a child's cleft lip and palate treatment team usually include:

  • plastic surgeon
  • ear, nose, and throat physician
  • oral surgeon
  • dentist
  • speech-language pathologist
  • audiologist
  • nursing
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