What are the common causes of cleft lip and cleft palate?
Cleft lip and palate are congenital anomalies that result basically from a genetic defect . The causes of the genetic defect are hypothesized to be environment and nutrition related. The exact genetic defect and exact mechanisms causing the defect are NOT yet known. Diagnosis of cleft lip and palate Diagnosis is simply by inspection. Presence of an unusual and abnormal cleft in lip and palate is the diagnostic sign of cleft lip and palate. After seeing the cleft, the next thing to determine is the extent of the cleft, which may be complete or incomplete, and laterality of the cleft, which may be unilateral or bilateral.
