Cleft lip and cleft palate are openings or splits in the upper lip, the roof of the mouth (palate) or both. Cleft lip and cleft palate occur when the tissues in an infant’s face and mouth don’t fuse properly. Typically, the tissues fuse in the second and third months of pregnancy. When the fusion doesn’t happen or occurs only part way, the infant is born with an opening called a cleft. The condition can be very mild to very significant. Cleft lip and cleft palate are two of the most common … [Read more...] about Treating Common Cleft Lip, Palate Birth Defects