The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have estimated that in the United States, around 2,650 infants are born with a cleft palate every year, while 4,440 babies are born with a cleft lip, either with or without a cleft palate. A cleft is one of the most common types of birth defects in the United States, and is also common around the world. Among some 15 types of clefts that affect the mouth and face, known as orofacial clefting, cleft lip and cleft palate account for between 50 percent and 80 percent of deformities experienced by infants, depending on the type.