Cleft Classification — NDEB AFK MCQ

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HardOrthodonticsCleft ClassificationNDEB AFK

In which type of cleft does the cleft extend through the lip, alveolus, and primary palate but not the secondary palate?

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Correct answer: B — Complete cleft of the primary palate

A complete cleft of the primary palate extends from the lip through the alveolar ridge to the incisive foramen (anterior to the incisive foramen = primary palate). The secondary palate (posterior to the incisive foramen: hard palate and soft palate) is intact. A complete cleft lip and palate extends through both the primary and secondary palate. Cleft lip/palate is the most common congenital craniofacial anomaly, occurring in approximately 1 in 700 live births.

Reference: Proffit – Contemporary Orthodontics, 6th ed., 2019; Neville – Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, 4th ed., 2016