Cleft palate and
cleft lip may occur independently of each other or at
the same time. The terms below are often used to describe and classify cleft
lip and cleft palate and to describe a cleft more precisely.
Basic classification of cleft palate
A cleft palate is first categorized according to whether it affects
the hard palate, the soft palate, or both.
The hard palate is the
front part of the roof of the mouth.
The soft palate is the back part of the roof of the mouth. This description may
include whether the
uvula is affected.
involve only one side of the upper lip. They rarely occur in the lower lip.
If cleft lip occurs with cleft palate, the upper alveolar ridges,
which are where the teeth sit, are also involved.
Complete classification of a cleft palate combines all of the
appropriate terms. For example:
A cleft of the hard palate with an
incomplete unilateral cleft lip is a cleft in the front of the mouth and a
cleft in one side of the upper lip that doesn't extend to the nose.
A cleft of both the hard and soft palate with bilateral complete
cleft lip describes a cleft that extends from the soft palate to the hard
palate, and includes the alveolar ridge. Both sides of the lip have clefts
extending to the nose.
How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.