What is a Cleft Lipand Palate?

What is a Cleft Lip and Palate?

A Cleft lip is a split in the upper lip. A Cleft palate is a split in

the roof of the mouth. This leaves a hole between the nose and

mouth. A cleft lip and palate affects 1 in 700 babies. Cleft lip and

palate are not contagious, so you can't catch them from someone

else.


Classifications of Cleft Lip/Palate


Class 1- Cleft of the tip of the uvula

Class 2- Cleft of the uvula

Class 3- Cleft of the soft palate

Class 4- Cleft of the soft and hard palates

Class 5- Cleft of the soft and hard palates that continues through the

alveolar ridge on one side of the premaxilla.

Class 6- Cleft of the soft and hard palates that continues through the

alvoelar ridge on both sides.



Etiology of Cleft Lip/Palate

Embryology

Cleft lip and palate represent a failure of normal fusion of the

embryonic processes during development in the first trimester of

pregnancy.

Figure 44-2 shows th...