The Tessier number 5 cleft: a report of two cases and a review of the literature.

Two cases of facial clefts that fit the anatomic description of the rare Tessier number 5 cleft are presented and bring the total number of reported cases to 19. These cases and a review of the literature help define the soft-tissue course of the cleft from just medial to the oral commissure to the junction of the middle and lateral thirds of the lower eyelid. They also emphasize the role of axial CT scanning to define the bony cleft as one passing from just distal to the canine tooth to the orbital rim lateral to the infraorbital foramen. The widespread use of CT scanning and a thorough dental examination of these patients should provide more accurate diagnosis and classification of these clefts.