Cleft Lip

Picture of examples of cleft lip

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Cleft lip is a birth defect that occurs when the tissues of the upper jaw and nose do not join as expected during fetal development, resulting in a split (cleft) in the lip. An incomplete cleft lip can range from a slight indentation to a notch in the upper lip on one side only. A complete cleft lip is a deep split in the lip that extends into one or both sides of the nose. This birth defect can be corrected with one or more surgeries.

Credits

ByHealthwise Staff
Primary Medical ReviewerJohn Pope, MD - Pediatrics
Specialist Medical ReviewerAdam David Schaffner, MD, FACS - Plastic Surgery, Otolaryngology
Last RevisedJanuary 19, 2012
By: Healthwise StaffLast Revised: January 19, 2012
Medical Review: John Pope, MD - Pediatrics
Adam David Schaffner, MD, FACS - Plastic Surgery, Otolaryngology

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