Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Midface Hypoplasia and Cranial Base Morphology in Syndromic Craniosynostosis: A Comparative Analysis Study Using a Predictive Regression Model
Published on: November 4, 2025
Orthodontics and foetal pathology: a personal view on craniofacial patterning
1Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. ik@odont.ku.dk
Abstract:
This article summarizes the essentials of studies on the craniofacial skeleton performed over 17 years. It presents data from research into foetal pathology resulting in new views on craniofacial patterning and/or fields for further discussion. The fields described cover all areas seen on profile, frontal, and panoramic radiographs. The fields are the theca, frontonasal, maxillary, palatine, and mandibular together with the cerebellar field and cervical spine. Regional fields in the dentition are described according to the pattern of peripheral nerve innervation. Studies on severely malformed foetuses show that the malformation can occur solely within a single field or in several fields. This is the background for these personal views on craniofacial patterning. These new views may assist in the diagnosis and interpretation of malformations in the cranium and dentition.
Related Concept Videos
Sutures of the Skull
Sutures are immobile joints between adjacent bones of the skull. The narrow gap between the bones is filled with dense, fibrous connective tissue that unites the bones. The long sutures located between the skull bones are not straight but instead follow irregular, tightly twisting paths. These twisting lines tightly...
Teeth
In the bud stage, the tooth germ (an aggregation of cells) starts to form in the developing jawbone. During the cap stage, the tooth germ differentiates into enamel organ, dental papilla, and dental sac, which will later develop into the tooth's enamel, dentin and...
Bone Formation by Intramembranous Ossification
The process begins when mesenchymal cells in the embryonic skeleton gather together and differentiate into osteogenic cells, which then develop into...
Development of the Oral Microbiota
Tooth Anatomy
The Crown, Neck, and Root
The visible part of the tooth is referred to as the crown. It's covered by enamel, the hardest substance in the human body. The crown is uniquely shaped for each type of tooth, allowing for different functions such as cutting, tearing, or grinding food.
Cranial Bones: Lateral View
The temporal bone forms the lower lateral side of the skull. The temporal bone is subdivided into several regions. The flattened upper portion is the squamous portion of the temporal bone. Below this area and projecting anteriorly is the zygomatic process of the temporal bone, which forms the posterior portion of the zygomatic arch. Posteriorly is the mastoid portion of the temporal bone. Projecting...
