OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of dental abnormalities of the primary and permanent maxillary dentitions in children affected by unilateral (UCLP) and bilateral (BCLP) cleft of the lip and palate. METHODS: One hundred and fifty-six Caucasian patients (64 females and 92 males) affected by non-syndromic UCLP or BLCP were selected. A control sample of 1000 subjects (482 males and 518 females) without CLP was selected. All comparisons were carried out by means of z-tests on proportions. RESULTS: The prevalence rate for missing primary lateral incisors in UCLP subjects was 8.1% and it was 27.9% for the permanent lateral incisors. In BLCP subjects, the prevalence rates were 17% for the primary lateral incisors and 60% for the permanent lateral incisors. The second premolar was absent in 5.4% of UCLP subjects and in 8.8% in the BCLP sample. The statistical analysis revealed significant differences for the prevalence rates of all dental anomalies compared with the control group except for second premolar agenesis. CONCLUSIONS: In both UCLP and BCLP subjects the most prevalent missing teeth were the lateral incisors. The dental anomalies occurred predominantly in the cleft area, thus suggesting that the effect of the cleft disturbance is more local than general on the dentition.