BackgroundCleft lip and cleft palate (also, known as or facial clefts), are amongst the most common congenital deformities affecting the jaw and face as well as the most common defects associated with lip and palate. Thus, the current study was an attempt to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of or facial clefts in Iranian children.Materials and Methods:The present study, was conducted...

Transverse facial clefts (macrostomia) are rare disorders that result when the embryonic mandibular and maxillary processes of the first branchial arch fail to fuse due to failure of mesodermal migration and merging to obliterate the embryonic grooves between the maxillary and mandibular processes to form the angle of the mouth at its normal anatomic position. Macrostomia may be seen alone or i...

Hemifacial microsomia (HFM) is a condition in which the lower half of one side of the face is underdeveloped and does not grow in a normal pattern. After clefts, this is the second most common facial birth defect. Etiology of HFM is unknown, but prenatal exposures of some drugs and genetic abnormalities may be associated with the condition. Diagnosis and treatment of HFM is challenging due to a...

Development of the palate in vertebrates involves cranial neural crest migration, convergence of facial prominences and extension of the cartilaginous framework. Dysregulation of palatogenesis results in orofacial clefts, which represent the most common structural birth defects. Detailed analysis of zebrafish palatogenesis revealed distinct mechanisms of palatal morphogenesis: extension, prolif...

Background Oral clefts are among the common congenital birth defects with a broad phenotypic gamut. Since the epidermal ridges of the fingers and palms as well as the facial structures like lip, alveolus, and palate are formed from the same embryonic tissues during the same embryonic period, the genetic and environmental factors responsible for causing cleft lip and palate might also affect der...