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Updated: Sep 29, 2025
07:26
Systematic Assessment of Mammalian Skull Specimens for Dental and Temporomandibular Joint Pathology
Published on: August 22, 2022
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Craniofacial Bones and Teeth in Spacefarers: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
M S Moussa1,2, M Goldsmith1,2, S V Komarova1,2
1Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
JDR Clinical and Translational Research
|March 21, 2022
Summary
Space travel may alter craniofacial bone density, with human skulls showing increased bone mineral density and rodent mandibles showing decreased bone volume. Further research is needed to understand spaceflight
Area of Science:
- Space medicine
- Dental research
- Craniofacial biology
Background:
- Estimating dental risks for long-duration space missions is crucial for astronaut health.
- Previous risk assessments overlooked potential changes in dental structures due to space travel.
- Bone loss is a known concern in long-duration spaceflights.
Approach:
- Conducted a comprehensive literature search across multiple databases.
- Selected 32 studies presenting quantitative data on craniofacial hard tissues in humans and rodents.
- Analyzed changes in bone mineral density, bone volume, dentin thickness, and incisor volume.
Key Points:
- Human skull bone mineral density significantly increased in spacefaring individuals.
- Rodent mandibles showed a significant decrease in bone volume to tissue volume (BV/TV) during spaceflight.
- No significant differences were found in rodent incisor dentin thickness or volume between spaceflight and ground controls.
Conclusions:
- Significant knowledge gaps exist regarding microgravity's effects on various craniofacial structures.
- Understanding these effects is vital for risk assessment and developing preventive protocols for space travelers.
- This study provides a foundation for mitigating oral health issues in astronauts on extended missions.
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