What is a cleft lip and cleft palate?
A cleft is an opening in the lip, the roof of the mouth and/or the soft tissue in the back of the mouth. A cleft lip may be accompanied by an opening in the bones of the upper jaw and/or the upper gum. A cleft palate occurs when the two sides of a palate do not join together, resulting in an opening in the roof of the mouth. A cleft lip and palate can occur on one side (unilateral) or both sides (bilateral). A child can suffer from cleft lip, cleft palate or both.
