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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staff
Usually, a cleft — or split — in the lip or palate is immediately identifiable at birth. Clefts can appear as only a small notch in the lip or can extend from the lip through the upper gum and palate.
Less commonly, a cleft occurs only in the muscles of the soft palate (submucous cleft), which is at the back of the mouth and covered by the mouth's lining. Because it's hidden, this type of cleft may not be diagnosed until later.
