OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to establish the location and distribution of epithelial pearls and tooth buds in cleft palate fetuses, relative to the time of palate fusion. METHODS The facial skeletal structures, dental laminae, tooth buds, and epithelial pearls were examined in seven spontaneously aborted human fetuses, of which five had unilateral or bilateral cleft lip and palate or cleft palate. The sectioned fetuses were reconstructed by 3D-computer technology. RESULTS Epithelial pearls were found in four of the investigated cases, of which one was a control specimen. They were located at the margins of the palatal shelves. In the cleft lip and palate cases, the cleft was found in the premaxilla between the first and second incisor tooth. The premaxilla was found to be hypoplastic in both bilateral cleft lip and palate cases and was totally absent in the unilateral cleft lip and palate case. The maxilla was hypoplastic in one case with unilateral cleft lip and palate. In all other specimens, it was developed symmetrically. CONCLUSIONS The results indicate that cleft lip and palate development may occur after the fusion of the frontonasal prominence with the maxillary prominence and the palatal shelves, as well as a nonfusion of the palatal shelves in the secondary palate.