Cleft lip and/or palate (sometimes they ensue together, reason for the “and/or”), is a birth defect that is evident in 1 out of every 600 births. There are basically three types of cleft palates:

1. Incomplete cleft palate – wherein the hard palates of the inside of the mouth are separated;
2. Unilateral complete lip and palate – wherein the said separation reaches the nasal cavity (comes out of one nostril);
3. Bilateral complete lip and palate – wherein it is synonymous to number 2, but this time, the separation creates a “fork-like” division inside the mouth (comes out of the two nostrils).

Cleft palate is treated with the use of either a “palatal obturator”, a retainer-like apparatus (but no front wires) inserted in the person’s palate that will serve as a cover to the gap, or through surgery.

Photo taken from http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu