Generality
Cleft palate is a congenital malformation that affects the soft palate and / or the hard palate, causing, on the latter, the presence of a crack of variable size.
Typically, it is associated with "another congenital malformation of the face: the so-called cleft lip (or cleft lip or cleft lip).
The precise causes of cleft palate are unknown. According to most doctors and researchers, its onset is due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
The presence of cleft palate can lead to difficulties in sucking breast milk and in eating, problems in speaking, dental problems and predisposition to otitis of the middle ear.
Cleft palate is a malformation that is difficult to identify before birth. His diagnosis at birth, on the other hand, is practically immediate and requires a simple physical examination.
Currently, cleft palate is a treatable condition with excellent results. The main treatment is surgical and consists in closing the fissure present on the palate.
What is a cleft palate?
Cleft palate is a congenital malformation, belonging to the category of orofacial clefts, which is characterized by the presence of a cleft in the palate (or roof of the mouth).
Extending up to the nose, this cleft on the palate can involve the hard palate - that is the bony portion of the roof of the mouth - and / or the soft palate - that is, the muscular-membranous portion of the roof of the mouth.
