Craniofacial Growth and Development - An Orthodontic perspective

Craniofacial growth is a wonderful, fascinating phenomenon, and understanding its aspects is vital for every clinician to effectively deal with the complex problem of abnormal skeletal growth of the jaws and dentoalveolar malocclusions. The integrated nature of growth and maturation is largely maintained by a constant interaction of genes, hormones, nutrients, and other factors influencing the physical performance of an individual. The fundamental conceptualizations of the orthodontist concerning the process of cranial growth strongly influence his therapeutic technique.With the advent in the field of craniofacial biology and the discovery of genes on growth, many investigations show genetic control for the patterning of the craniofacial region, and thus growth and development is a net result of environmental modulation of genetic inheritance which is immense. Hence, an orthodontist must appreciate craniofacial growth and its importance as we embark into an era of new therapeutic procedures to optimize the treatment plan and the mechanics used in orthodontics.