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Cleft lip is a treatable birth defect. It happens when the tissues of the upper jaw and nose don't join as expected during fetal development. This causes a split (cleft) in the lip.
A cleft lip may be complete or incomplete. With either type, it may involve one or both sides of the upper lip and rarely occurs in the lower lip. Cleft lip often occurs with cleft palate. Cleft palate and cleft lip are the most common birth defects of the head and neck.
A cleft lip usually doesn't cause health problems. Surgery can be done to fix the split.
Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery at St. Luke's
The team at St. Luke’s Children's Cleft and Craniofacial Clinic offers cutting-edge, coordinated, single-visit, multidisciplinary care for patients with cleft lip and palate, craniosynostosis, and other craniofacial conditions. We focus on providing parents, families, and patients with an exceptional experience and outcome. In addition to offering evaluations for all ages—newborns to adults—we also offer prenatal consultations, providing expecting parents with critical information and reassurance before their baby is born.
