Cleft_Palate

Cleft Palate Cleft lip and cleft palate Cleft Palate is the fourth most common birth defect in the United States. One of every 700 newborns is affected by cleft lip or cleft palate or even both. A cleft lip is a separation of the two sides of the lip. The separation often includes the bones of the upper jaw and upper gum. A cleft palate is an opening in the roof of the mouth in which the two sides of the palate did not fuse or join together when the unborn baby was in the early stages of development. Cleft lip and cleft palate can occur on one side which is called unilateral cleft palate, or on both sides which is bilateral cleft palate. Because the lip and the palate develop separately, it is possible for the child to have a cleft lip, a cleft palate, or both cleft lip and cleft palate. Cleft lip and cleft palate are congenital defects, or more commonly know as birth defects, which occur very early in pregnancy. The majority of clefts appear to be due to a combination of genetics and environmental factors. The risks of recurrence of a cleft condition are dependent upon many cleft, palate, lip, affected, sides, child, care, both, baby, years, upper, two, together, separation, roof, provided, possible, persons, over, one, occur, new, need, mouth, factors, even, early, different, defects, clefts, birth, because, work, very, variety