A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study of Neuroticism and Sleep Bruxism.

Sleep bruxism (SB) affects a considerable part of the population and is associated with neuroticism, stress, and anxiety in various studies. However, the causal mechanisms between neuroticism and SB have not been examined. Understanding the reasons for SB is important as understanding bruxism may allow improved comprehensive management of the disorders and comorbidities related to it.

Does Mandibular Distraction Osteogenesis for Robin Sequence Create Altered Craniofacial Morphology and Disrupt Tooth Development?

Background: Robin Sequence (RS) infant patients may require mandibular distraction osteogenesis (MDO) to improve airway. The distracted mandible may grow vertically and the developing dentition may be disrupted.

Purpose: The study purpose was to measure the association of MDO on craniofacial morphology and tooth development in RS subjects.

Haplotype Analysis Reveals Pleiotropic Disease Associations in the HLA Region.

The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) region plays an important role in human health through involvement in immune cell recognition and maturation. While genetic variation in the HLA region is associated with many diseases, the pleiotropic patterns of these associations have not been systematically investigated. Here, we developed a haplotype approach to investigate disease associations phenome-wide for 412,181 Finnish individuals and 2,459 traits.

Improving Craniofacial Team Collaboration: A Multicenter Interview Study of Effective Team Meetings.

Objective: In the USA, the American Cleft Palate Association-Craniofacial Association (ACPA-CPF) specifies guidelines to ensure craniofacial teams function in a multidisciplinary fashion to provide care in a sequence that mirrors the patient's needs. Among these guidelines is the expectation that teams hold regular multidisciplinary team meetings to discuss patient care. The purpose of this study was to identify factors that contribute to optimal team functioning during these meetings.

Does surgical sequencing influence the accuracy of maxillary positioning in bimaxillary cleft orthognathic surgery?

Purpose: To evaluate whether the sequence of osteotomies influences the accuracy of maxillary positioning in patients with cleft palate ± cleft lip undergoing bimaxillary orthognathic surgery (OGS).

Methods: This was a prospective study of patients with Veau 2-4 clefts who underwent bimaxillary OGS at tertiary-care children's hospital over a 3-year period. The primary predictor variable was the sequence of osteotomies (maxilla-first versus mandible-first).

Craniosynostosis: orofacial and oral health perspectives with masticatory insights.

Background: Craniosynostosis (CS), premature fusion of one or more cranial sutures, leads to abnormal skull development, impacting both facial esthetics and oral function. This study aimed to evaluate the specific orofacial and oral health characteristics, including masticatory performance, in Thai patients with CS.

Methods: A comparative study was conducted with Thai CS patients aged 6-17 years and a control group of healthy individuals with similar age distribution.

Maxillary Hypoplasia and Non-Invasive Ventilation: Literature Review and Proposed New Treatment Protocol.

The impact of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) on pediatric maxillary growth is a subject of ongoing research considering its increased use in the pediatric population due to technological advancements and broader indications. This review examines the existing literature, encompassing original articles, case reports, and reviews, to evaluate the effects of NIV on maxillary development and explore potential treatment options. Although the majority of studies agree on the adverse effects of prolonged NIV on maxillary development, techniques for its correction remain understudied.

Pediatric skull inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor: a rare case report and literature review.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMTs) represent rare neoplasms, particularly infrequent in the pediatric skull. We present a novel case of a newborn male with a 5 cm right temporal mass and discuss current diagnostic and treatment options for IMTs. A multidisciplinary effort to surgically remove the lesion was successful, and the patient's skull defect healed without neurological deficits.

Long-term skeletal, cephalometric, and volumetric changes in two Helsinki bimaxillary face transplant patients.

Analysis of skeletal, cephalometric, and volumetric changes and occlusion during long-term follow-up was performed for two patients who underwent bimaxillary facial transplantation (FT). The study material consisted of the follow-up data of two bimaxillary composite FT performed in Helsinki University Hospital, one in 2016 and the other in 2018. Serial three-dimensional computed tomography scans obtained during follow-up (6 years for patient 1, 4 years for patient 2) were analyzed.

Book-Sharing for Toddlers with Clefts (BOOST): Protocol for a randomized controlled trial of a remote intervention to promote language development in children with cleft palate.

Background: Children with cleft palate, with or without cleft lip (CP±L), exhibit language delays on average compared to children without clefts. Interventions to address these disparities are scarce. In this multi-center study, Book Sharing for Toddlers with Clefts (BOOST), we will test a remote, parent-focused intervention to promote language development in children with CP±L.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Velopharynx: Clinical Findings in Patients with Velopharyngeal Insufficiency.

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the only imaging modality capable of directly visualizing the levator veli palatini (LVP) muscles: the primary muscles responsible for velopharyngeal closure during speech. MRI has been used to describe normal anatomy and physiology of the velopharynx in research studies, but there is limited experience with use of MRI in the clinical evaluation of patients with velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI).

Methods: MRI was used to evaluate the velopharyngeal mechanism in patients presenting for VPI management.

Pediatric Cranial Vault Pathology.

A wide variety of diagnoses can be approached with a common framework for diagnosis, extirpation, and reconstruction of pediatric cranial vault pathologies. Durability of reconstruction is critical for the range of pediatric patients from infancy to adolescence. Rigid reconstruction, preferably with autologous tissue when possible, promotes brain protection and satisfactory aesthetic outcome.

Secondary Procedures on the Palate to Correct/Improve Speech: Past, Present and Future.

Speech production in general and in patients with cleft palate in particular is multifactorial. In addition to the complex velopharyngeal mechanism, all structures of the oral cavity have some contribution for correct speech production. Therefore, in addition to the velopharynx the surgeons and other cleft/craniofacial team members need to perform a thorough and complete evaluation of all structures to fully appreciate the causative factor(s) responsible for inadequate speech production after palatoplasty and to prescribe the most appropriate, personalized management plan.

Normscan: open-source Python software to create average models from CT scans.

Purpose: Age-matched average 3D models facilitate both surgical planning and intraoperative guidance of cranial birth defects such as craniosynostosis. We aimed to develop an algorithm that accepts any number of CT scans as input and generates highly accurate, average models with minimal user input that are ready for 3D printing and clinical use.

Methods: Using a compiled database of 'normal' pediatric computed tomography (CT) scans, we report Normscan, an open-source platform built in Python that allows users to generate normative models of CT scans through user-defined landmarks.

The Asymmetry Within: A Renewed Look at Cupids Bow in Unilateral Cleft Lip.

The purpose of this study is to analyze the angular variations within Cupid's bow in patients with unoperated unilateral cleft lip (UCL). Angular features of Cupid's bow were quantified in standardized presurgical photographs of children with UCL by 5 medical professionals specializing in craniofacial anomalies. The peaks and valley of Cupid's bow were identified.

Contemporary Surgical Management of Craniofacial Fibrous Dysplasia Using Computer-Assisted Surgery and Intraoperative Navigation.

Craniofacial fibrous dysplasia (CFD) is a rare developmental disease of bone, which typically presents as a painless, expansile mass causing deformity of the craniofacial skeleton. In rare circumstances, compression of neurovascular structures may arise, causing symptoms such as pain, visual impairment, and hearing loss. Traditionally, CFD debulking has been performed with "freehand" techniques using preoperative imaging and anthropometric norms to determine the ideal amount of tissue removal.