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Cleft lip and palate is due to tissues of the face not properly joining together during development. They are a type of birth defect. The cause in most cases is unknown. Risk factors include smoking during pregnancy, diabetes, an older mother, obesity, and certain medications such as some used to treat seizures.
1 A cleft palate is found in one third of patients with Treacher Collins syndrome, and congenital palatopharyngeal incompetence (foreshortened, immobile, or absent soft palate; submucous cleft palate) is found in an additional one third of patients.