The face, the future, and dental practice: how research in craniofacial biology will influence patient care

Abstract

It has been a privilege to assemble a group of Australian and international researchers to produce a special issue of the Australian Dental Journal that reflects the cutting edge of research in different aspects of craniofacial biology, and also considers how these advances will influence future education and practice within dentistry. The aim of this special issue is to provide a collection of concept papers and critical reviews on key topics that cover both fundamental and applied research in craniofacial biology and to consider the clinical implications. To do this, four questions have been addressed that lead to the four sections of this issue. These are:(1) How have we come to the present exciting position in craniofacial biology with breakthroughs over the past 50 years? (2) What are current fundamental research topics that are helping us to understand more about craniofacial and general development, possibly leading to future clinical developments? (3) What are the current applied research topics that will influence future clinical practice? (4) Looking forward, what new developments in craniofacial biology may come about that will change the face of dental education and practice?The refereed papers in this special issue are grouped into the four sections that seek to respond to these demanding questions.

Odontogenic facial swelling of unknown origin

“…These techniques are important laboratory research tools in dental phenomics research. [17][18][19] Ongoing rapid technological advancements in highresolution CT technology have opened the opportunities to explore more relevant clinical applications. This report examines the application of micro-CT imaging to enable detailed visualization and to establish post-extraction diagnosis of subtle odontogenic defects that had given rise to facial swellings in two paediatric patients.…”

Alterations in mandibular morphology associated with glypican 1 and glypican 3 gene mutations

“…Furthermore, FGFR2 mutation can affect BMP signalling by regulating both osteoblastogenesis and osteoclastogenesis and can retard mandibular bone formation and decrease bone mass . Future studies on the interactions between bone and surrounding soft tissues could elucidate the complex nature of craniofacial morphogenesis involving genetic, epigenetic and environmental factors …”

The Adelaide Dental School 1917 to 2017

“…Members of the group recently edited and contributed to a special issue of the Australian Dental Journal entitled The Face, the Future, and Dental Practice: How Research in Craniofacial Biology Will Influence Patient Care. This looks at developments in the field of craniofacial biology and how they relate to dental education and practice (Townsend & Brook 2014). Collaborative projects involving international teams of researchers, including members of the Craniofacial Biology Research Group, have led to two papers being accepted for publication in the prestigious journal Nature during 2016 (Evans et al 2016;Weyrich et al 2017).…”