Clefts and clefting syndromes

Cleft lip and palate - uniliteral
Cleft lip and palate - bilateral
Tessier Clefts (naso-oro-ocular cleft)
Hemifacial Microsomia
Pierre Robin syndrome
Treacher Collins syndrome

Cleft lip and cleft palate are among the more common birth defects. They can occur as the only birth defect in a child (isolated clefts) or may be associated with other medical problems as part of a pattern of birth defects or syndrome (syndromic clefts). The majority are isolated clefts. About half involve the lip and the palate, while cleft palate alone or cleft lip alone each account for about a quarter. A cleft lip and/or palate can affect the lip, nose, gum, teeth, roof and back of mouth and, indirectly, the ears. Children with this condition may experience early difficulties in feeding and later problems with speech production and sometimes hearing. Dental problems usually arise because some teeth may develop in a poor position or may be missing.

Over the past few years, great improvements have been made in the treatment and management of clefts and these enable better repair of the defects enabling children born with cleft lip and cleft palate to leade normal lives.