What is the difference between a cleft palate and lip?

Lip & roof of mouth: They are both developmental defects. Cleft lip only affects the upper lip. Cleft palate is an opening on roof of the mouth. Frequently these occur together. Cleft palate has different degrees of severity. Some much harder to deal with than others. Clefting is one of the most common major congenital defects in humans.

Lip vs roof of mouth: A cleft lip is a lack of continuity of the upper lip leaving a defect or void of the lip. The palate is a hole in the roof of the mouth where the roof of the mouth did not fuse. These can occur separately or together. This defect happens while the baby is forming.

See below: The palate is the hard and soft portions of the roof of your mouth. Some people will only have a cleft palate or an isolated cleft lip, but most people have a cleft that involves both.